


Forbidden Lust Crimes of Passion

by MannerHall



Category: not a fandom
Genre: F/F, F/M, Fantasy, Incest, Multi, Other, Short Story, War, dragon ridings, dragons riders
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-06-28
Updated: 2017-06-28
Packaged: 2018-11-20 12:58:47
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 17
Words: 25,918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11336022
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MannerHall/pseuds/MannerHall
Summary: Set 3000 years before the story of Amulet of the Elements, Forbidden Lust tells the story of the Twins of Deception, Raxseis and Exsidious. (Seen in Amulet of the Elements)Set in the once thriving Kingdom of Morgeideign, The Widower King Paraxious rules, hoping to calm the rumors of his children's incestuous relationship. Among their forbidden lust, the royal family holds nearly fifty dragons imprisoned. Sapped of their magic and strength, the aerial serpents serve with broken wills. When the comfort of love between siblings grows thin, and the family begins to unravel, will the dragons rise up against their suppressors and seek revenge, or will they allow sin to consume them all? Adalaya, the only Princess in the land has grown tired of being bent to the will of men. Her new found courage wishes to free both herself and the dragons of their binds to the world's order, but will her courage be enough to persuade the kept beast's to do her bidding? Find out today in Forbidden Lust Crimes of Passion.





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> Feel free to follow me and Dm me for questions or comments.

The rain fell softly onto the cobblestone pathway that they stood on. Eyes of hazel locked into a never-ending gaze of fear and regret. Adalaya pressed her soft painted lips onto her eldest brothers. Their fullness made him swoon. But was it her flesh that warmed him, or the fact such acts would see them both hung. Raxseis gripped her shoulders tightly, cool water ran down his face, his loins and eyes burning for her.

"We must stop this, we must fall to this unholy bed no more." His voice was stern, yet his tone carried ribbons of sadness. She could see it in his eyes. The pair that had brought them to face such pressing predicament. Her chest heaved, her throat fell dry as the thought that he would no longer fill her sank in. He would no longer dry her tears or mingle their heat as one. She shook in the cold, her floor length ball gown soaked. Its evergreen velvet now a dark black in the wet night. His love was what kept her living in happiness.

"My brother my love, I beg you to reconsider such rapid a choice. After so many years, so many lies, the risks, and passion, you now wish to sever our cord of love?" Her gaze searched his but found only fear and lost hope. Her petite frame came to tremble before him, the cold and crisp air surrounding their body's in an unwelcome embrace. She took a moment to admire his waist length hair, and how its onyx hue had come to shine like blown glass in the night. His eyes were rimmed in red, his eyes frantically searching her own in attempts to find any sign of wisdom.

"You are to be married. Your husband would not take kindly to my flesh pressed against yours. Nor would our father." His hand cupped her cheek, his body pressing onto hers for what seemed like the final time. His thumb moved to wipe away her tears as she clung to him tightly. She could not let go, she would not let go. They had come to feel the pain of breaking from each other before. Time and time again, they had failed in their attempts.

"We have fallen into the hands of Dovium himself in our acts. And we must see our souls returned into the hands of father's God. Please sister, I know the pain you feel, it rips at my heart to let you go, but now I must." She wept quietly, her eyes locking to the ground. " I will see us returned to proper arms, and when I do, I shall never have you cease." He captured her lips and turned heading for the double iron doors of the castle. Her watchful eyes burned into him. He would have given anything to have her that night, but he knew the love and lust they shared had ended.

The Princess watched him go, the crack of thunder above head caused her to fall knee first into the passing rain. Her heart felt cold, forgotten, misplaced. She cried, allowing her sorrow to flee from her body. Her face pressed into the cool touch of the stone pathway, and there she remained.


	2. 2

Adalaya rested in the warm waters of her bath. The soft scents if Jasmine and lavender filled her grand room. She couldn't remove him from her mind. Nor did she wish such a thing. Her body ached for his touch, but her heart and soul begged to hear his voice again. Hear it so soft and sweet rolling into her ears. Her entire life she had loved him, and within that duration, she often wondered why incest was so highly frowned upon. From birth, you loved your family, by right and by blood yet you were not supposed to honor such gift by mingling with the bodies of your kin. Why had she been cursed to love him in every way, only to have her heart ripped from her chest? She sank further into the warm water. How she wished to go under and never return to breathe. Without him she was empty, without him, she was alone. A knock came upon the oak wood door. Her eyes looked to its direction and with A dreadful tone she spoke.

"Who is there?" "It is I Raxseis. I have come to talk to you." The sound of his deep and caring voice brought her back to life. "Enter brother." Raxseis made his way in unsure of what he would find inside. Upon entry, his eyes fixated on his little sister, naked and soaking in a bath. Seemingly, she looked rather depressed, and he knew it was because of him. He closed the door and secured their privacy with a lock before walking to her tub side. He bent the knee and took her hand his manhood swelling at the feel of her.

" I have come to ask your forgiveness dear sister. My actions towards you the past night were beneath us both. I only fear for our safety, your safety." His hand tightened around hers as the last words passed his soft and thin lips. His free hand moving to glide up her thigh. "You place fear upon mind for no reason my brother. If we are to die, we shall, knowing we are put to death for our love. I loved no other before you, and I shall never love another after we part." Her legs spread slowly under the bath water, her sex slightly covered with trimmed hair. His hand ran across her softly, fingers exploring areas hidden by the darkness. She moaned as he played with her body, as always the topic at hand had been placed on the back burner of more pressing matters. The need to make love standing far more important.

"Adalaya, we must one day move on from this." His thumb began rubbing her clitoris, his eyes meeting with her own as she moved on his hand. " Why must we when it feels so right?" Her voice was weak his pleasures slowly putting the princess within the trace of ecstasy. Her toes began to curl, her hips instinctively starting to roll as her body jerked with each stroke his thumb made. "Because with each time we kiss, every time we fuck, when I touch you this way we place ourselves one step closer to an eternity of flame and torture." He slid two fingers into her cunt, their tips caressing her inner walls. As he spoke, part of him wished to stop, but most of him lived for this. He lived to defy his father, he was born to break every rule placed before him. But somewhere, deep down he was in love with her. He needed this not for revenge but for love, trust, and security.

"Then I shall spend all of my days in this life and the next burning as I do for you now. You, my brother, took my maidenhead, you showed me how to love I will not see it cease." He looked over her unblemished skin, her small hard nipples and young breasts. His manhood was near to bursting his britches. He wanted to fuck her, here and now. He removed his fingers from her womanhoods grasp and with much haste removed the tie upon his pants. They kissed passionately as he did her hands longing to play with him. Adalaya made her way from the tub, the firelight flickering around the pair. She aided him with the removal of clothes and soon found herself placed upon back, legs spread. He looked her over his hands washing down her flat stomach. His head sliding between her thighs, his mouth engulfing her sex. She began to slide around the feeling of his hot wet mouth.

"Remain still sister I only wish to kiss you here is all." He gave her A sly smile and began his work. His head bobbing up and down, his tongue licking every groove of her royal sex. She tasted so good, so sweet so perfect. And she was his and would remain so. His cock raged begging entry into forbidden cavern. And without warning, he slid into her. His body rough against her small frame. The head of his manhood hit her in the deepest of ways. He claimed her over and over again until she was begging him to stop, screaming his name and digging her nails into his back. And only then did he speed up snatching every inch of her and daring hey to climax.

" Oh! Brother! Stop please I can not take it!" She began to harden around him, and as she did, he picked up his speed, making her release herself onto him, over and over until A steady stream became present. Her body shook under him, her nails dug deep into his back. Her walls tightened around him, and as they did, he came, their motion sucking every drop of his seed out of him and into her. Joining them in the most natural and intimate of ways. He rolled off her falling to her side with A thump.

"We can never stop brother we have tried far too many times. Do not fight what we were made for it will only harm us both."He kissed her deeply and held her close her words music to his ears. "Then my sister we shall not for I wish never to harm you in any way."


	3. Chapter 3

"The Chavonai people grow stronger. And their need for our blood does as well." Spoke the Kings hand. His hand thumbing through several parchments delivered from the front lines of battle. "This I know." Spoke the King. His large hand moving down his long black beard in repetition. " As soon as we secure marriage of Adalaya to the Prince of West Point Isles, we will have the allegiance of his people. Therefore possessing the power to win the war." His Majesty sent forth A series of coughs his chest growing tighter with each harsh sound.

" M'lord, shall I call for your healer?" "No, the gripping shall cease soon enough. Tell me how does the progression of the troops fare?" " Well, they have reached the northern points of Weistimeare. According to your generals, they shall arrive in Yugcourte within the moon." The King took A sip of wine and tonic. " Send word I wish them there no later than the fall of fortnights eve. It secures their own safety. If they tread for too long within the open plains of Weistimeare, they could be taken prisoner, or worse slain before the battle is even to begin."

" I shall see outdone your grace. Also, there have been rumors of your daughter and your son." The King focused all of his attention on his hand now. His children were his pride made such subject an important and interesting topic. " What about my children? What have they done?" "It is rumored among the townsfolk that your daughter wishes not to wed the good Prince Raquah. And has come to such reason by means of your son's tongue."

" Such is gossip among my people, after the death of my wife all seem to dream of things that have not been written. But even still such thoughts and wagging words grasp my interest. I shall break words with my children. Gratitude for the rapid warning on such matters." "I only hold steadfast upon my vows my King. I live to serve thee." The man lowered his head in respect. His long locks falling forward over his cheeks.

" Rise and see parcel sent forth to King Zaranan. It should read as follows." The hand began to write as his better spoke. "Brightest greetings my friend. I have sent this parcel to inform you that I have overcome my illnesses and wish to hold your council within the chambers of my castle. I encourage that you bring your son to join you. My daughter is ever eager to meet his acquaintance. We shall celebrate our future joining over wine and fine food. Simply send your response along with my messenger. Signed King Paraxious Lasmonawn of Lavria."

The man signed the document and showed it to the King for acceptance. With A nod, he prepared it for its delivery. "Is there anything else you may need your grace?" "No, that will be all, leave me to my thoughts." The King's hand bowed low before him and headed off in search of the kingdoms messenger. And though Paraxious knew his children were in agreement to the betrothal something within his belly told him there was some validity to these rumors of his commoners. He stood, walking down the jeweled steps of his throne. He removed his crown and made his way to the royal bedroom. The light was perfectly dim. His fireplace roaring on the far right corner of the room. Changing into his nightwear Paraxious slid into bed. His mind calming as the crackling of the fire mingled with the soft roar of flames. The King drifted off into deep slumber, leaving his Kingdom to rest as well.


	4. Chapter 4

And so, the time had come for the young Princess Adalaya to meet her betrothed. Her heart was heavy with sorrow, but none more so than that of her eldest brother. His gaze of admiration could be felt upon her back. But his rage burned even more so into her very soul. Her hand maidens swarmed around her. Each giving praise and congratulations on such A glorious day. Two settled at her feet, hemming threads of woven gold and ivory onto her gown. The others while admiring her robes adorned her face with the stains of the rose. Her lips softly colored with the colors of her natural beauty. Her hair was the only part of her that had been fully completed. Its auburn locks and copper hues now braided tightly upon her scalp. The length of it came to be woven indefinitely until at last it's end came to sway upon the small of her back.

Her skin smelled of the sweet scents of the peach, her body oiled with the blessings of the lavender plant. She indeed looked her part. A royal of both high birth and wealth. But even still a heart betrayed forbid her face to glow. She took A moment to look towards him. How hard she tried to read his thoughts. Feel his heart, yet beating for her. Somehow she felt as if she had betrayed him. The thought troubled her mind both in the realm of sleep and wake. He looked so troubled, so pained and there was nothing she could do. The maiden's brought forth A crystal mirror, revealing her beauty to longing eyes.

"Gratitude, this shall do fine."

She spoke softly, her voice just above A whisper. She motioned them away, turning upon pedestal to face her brother. She made drastic attempt to allow enough time for the servants to exit. Her body longing to run to him, grasp him and beg his forgiveness. But as she neared, he welcomed her as cold as the arctic snow.

"Raxseis my brother, my love. Why do you shy from me?"

Her voice slithered from tongue, weak and worried. Her eyes searched his praying they would find that spark once more. Her hands caressed his shoulder and slid down to grasp both his hands. Her grip remained firm and questioning. Her body now pressing against his. It was as if only A shell of the man she knew stood before her. A cast of the mighty Raxseis. He had retreated so far within himself even she could no longer reach him.

" We have spoken of such things upon more than one occasion dear sister. You must let this go, and move into the embrace of your betrothed."

The sound of trumpets filled the territory. The sound carried for miles around. The pair looked from the stained glass window of her chambers. Bodies trembling in fear and realization. Upon the Sheria pass came hundreds, if not thousands of men. The Men of eastern lands. Banners of red swayed violently as the banner men rode steady. The crest of Tribe Vykladious shining with pride. Every stallion ridden dressed in riches, and silk. Every man and woman embraced the same.

"Come Adalaya it is time for us to resume the throne."

He turned from her taking her arm within his and headed towards the throne room.

The grand hall was filled with the scent of roasted boar and steamed squash. Incense fogged the room, their smoke as thick as the wake of flame. King Paraxious smiled as he lit the final stem. The gesture blessing the union soon to come. Prince Exsidious sat sternly upon his throne. His long hair flowing effortlessly down his broad chest. He could hear the caravan approaching. Though most of his wonder rested upon where his siblings could be. The King made his way to have A seat Adalaya and Raxseis soon following.

"You look beautiful my daughter. Surely you shall catch the eye of the prince."

"Yes, father how I pray the looks of my mother shall bless me."

Raxseis and Exsidious shared looks of distrust. The feeling surrounding the castle upon this event sending them both into states of wonder. The double doors of the hall flew open. The sounds of drums and tambourines filling the ears of all present. In came A single female. Her body dressed in sheer fabrics that twirled around her sculpted body. She moved with the fluidity of A striking snake. Her hips and arms mimicking the strums played in her wake. Her waist was jeweled heavily with coins of both the western and northern lands. Each singing A song of their own as she moved. Her eyes locked with Raxseis. Who now was seemingly entranced by the woman. She came to bow before the royal family. Removing her hip sash as she began to shimmy. It coiled around the neck of the prince who leaned forward into her seductive dance. He was intoxicated by her scent. She was A woman like no other he had ever seen. One birthed from the sand and claimed by the sun.

"What is your name?" He asked softly, his voice husky and aroused.

" Emerald, for I am the daughter of riches." She smiled to him and danced away as sand of fire began to stream into the grand hall. All looked in awe at the smoldering earth. Unknowing of what was to come.


	5. Chapter 5

Flame breathers, belly dancers, snake charmers and drum players filled the grand hall. And in their wake walked in, the two most honored guests. The Shaman and prince of the tribe. Eyes of gold, flesh of deep copper, locks of the night. Their chest remained bare adorned only by the traveling armor of their people. To the left of them walked A young woman. Her slender body just barely covered by her lilac slave robes and golden chains of bondage. All eyes fell upon her beauty, some of those gazes connected to minds of wonder as to why A woman blessed with such beauty would be hidden by slavery. She came forth head bowed low eyes locked upon the ground. The king rubbed his chin, should he marry off his daughter to such A man to whom would enslave their own people? Would his daughter suffer the same fate?

"Raxio contanus viaera trimio." Spoke the Shaman his voice radiating through his large belly. The slave stepped forward. Her voice coming into the air as dainty as the flight of A bee. " Our Shaman wishes his deepest blessings upon you and your family. " She looked at her master's feet and awaited him to speak once more. " Exio flaintain jura de costo mirio trimian. Wexeous gunda sexven rumia lliovima. Costa lilea mesta gustax surae ragentiya." She turned to face in the direction of the thrones. " He gives praise and words of impression onto your home and it's wonders. He also wishes to present His son when given chance."

King Paraxious stood his robes touching the floor following his stride. He gave them A warm and welcoming smile. "Please extends words of Gratitude to your Leader, that I have already claimed his blood as my blood his family and friendship the same. I welcome you all to my home and bless the union soon to come upon both our families." The slave girl nodded and turned to face her master once again speaking in the native languages of the guests.

" Mastgeen lorien towand estandior, mosstgur eran toen vio towan. Masta oxo gande mostagilda, exowantwan yotogae oeton gia vagur." The Shawman nodded, laughing happily before puling his son before the King. He was tall and slender, yet his body was before them as if formed by the hands of the gods. He stood A warrior, A God among their people. A walker of worlds A being of original creation. His jaw was sharp and properly placed, his scalp visible on both his left and right side of his head. Night black hair fell over his eyes, traveling down to the very back of the nape of his neck. He held within skull eyes of passion and lust, but beyond their gaze laid the sights of a man bloodthirsty and savage.

The Royals continued their greetings before Paraxious summoned his daughter forth. Her eyes meet with her future husbands, yet all she could see was her brothers gaze burning into her tortured soul. After the great feast and several chalices of wine, dances and songs of joyous occasion the Princess found herself resting in the embrace of her betrothed. She knew not if it was the aged wine, or the fact that in some ways he reminded her of her true love, but she knew one thing was clear. She enjoyed him, he was so very different than all the males before him.

He took A moment to place A lock of escaped hair behind her ear. "You are beautiful."- His voice was deep and enchanting. But it was heavy with the accent of the desserts. " Gratitude, It is told far and wide throughout our lands that I am but my mother reincarnated." His hand trailed down to caress her breast. " You are young, too young to have such reaction to man's touch." She shivered and realized she had begun to sweat, her nipples had betrayed her. She swallowed hard, and gazed into his eyes.

" I am... yes... But I must admit you are very arousing Prince Yorowan. I have never been touched in such ways." The lies rolled off her tongue, she came off as A simple minded girl but she knew deep down somehow he knew. "Lies pass your beautiful lips. I know what A pure woman acts like. I have taken, purity from many of all ages." - His hand rapidly found its way under her gown and before she could even attempt to back away his fingers rested upon her entrance.

Raxseis came to rest upon the wall outside the room, he watched his sister disappear into. He remained silent and listened. " Unhand me Good Prince...you have no right to accuse me of such dishonorable things." Her words went unanswered, and ignored his finger pulled away her undergarments and slid roughly into her sex. She moaned, his fingers were large and long, rough and hard." My father already has purchased you, you belong to me now. Do not fight he who is to come to be titled husband. I fight, and kill and pillage every day I see, smell, drink and bathe in blood for once it shall be nice to spread legs and not fight to gain entry."

He kissed her deeply, his lips were sweet yet strong he dominated her. She knew from the passion within his kiss, he would accept no less then her submission. Only then did she realize perhaps this man, this warrior and god of death and blood would pull her from her brother. She felt fear and interest grasp her, she parted her legs further and as she did he began thrusting harder and faster. Her soft moans carried into the ears of her brother who frowned within anger. The sounds of drums and clashing coins filled his ears. The smells of celebration and festivities filling his nose. He dropped his head and quickly took a look inside the room, there upon the widow seat laid his lover, his sister. Her husband to be having his way with her, the sight made his stomach sick. He turned away realizing she was enjoying the actions as much as the Prince was. He made his way down the hall and returned to the ballroom in search of something A bit more comforting than his love being forgotten.

Soft lips and rough beard consumed her lower jaw. The Prince was skilled far more so than even her brother had ever displayed. He had not yet entered her and yet she found herself gasping and moaning and drifting so close to release that most would swear he had fucked her and well. He pulled away from her smiling, licking her taste from his fingers. She stood cheeks flushing, rushing to fix her gown he came to embrace her from behind. " You have been stripped of purity many times. Your father does not know about this, neither does mine. I will seek the rumors about you, and you should best pray I find them false. "

Adalaya kept A straight face his words spooking her. " Could it not be that perhaps A woman has the same needs as that of A man? Could I not have taken my own purity? " She walked forward and kissed him deeply, he did not sway nor did he smile. He took her wrist roughly revealing her small hand and slender fingers. He placed his palm to her and spoke.

"Do you not see how small you are to me? Do you not witness that I can fit four of my fingers into your cunt easily? If you had taken your own purity I would not be able to do so. A cock has indeed been inside you and it has many times. You my beautiful Lamia would need hands bigger than my own to make me believe your words."

"Why should I be viewed A whore in the eyes of my....my....." He let her go and hugged her close. " Your Master, Your Husband, Your protector. It is simply because you are A woman. A creature viewed less then A man, yet worth more than any man who has ever walked. Either it was stolen from you, or you gave it away. But I will tell you this. I will act as if you are the most precious and untouched woman that ever lived, but only if you do something for me."

Her eyes gave way to spread wide. " And what might that be Prince?" "I wish the same pleasures you have given to whatever man fucks you. I wish to see if indeed you are worth as much as my father paid for you? If my wish is granted, I will see your secret never revealed, but if you refuse me, I will see rumors marked truth and truth brought to light."

She shook in fear her very soul begging for her brother to come, her brother to save her. The man now stood before her A snake within grass, giving her a chance to avoid him only to know if she did she would be bitten. "I will see you in my bed, but we must wait for the Castle to sleep. If my father or anyone else found out.... They would..... They would see us both to life's end."

He kissed her neck, the feeling now one of burning sensation. "You only have proven that my thoughts are true. You are A foolish girl indeed, but you are mine. Whatever man warms your forbidden bed is never to grace it again. Or I will see you both killed." He kissed her deeply the feeling of loss consuming her. He turned, letting her go. " I will come to you by middle moon see body bathed and the room warmed by the fire." He disappeared into the firelight of the corridor and back to the ball. Leaving Young Adalaya defenseless and regretful.


	6. Chapter 6

The castle had fallen still, leaving only the sounds of patrolling guards and the flickers of flames. Adalaya curled up in her bed, the thoughts of the man who now blackmailed her into spreading her legs to him. What if he knew? What if he truly would reveal her secret to her father, or worse the lands. Such things would bring eternal shame to her family name. Her body was bathed and oiled as requested and before she could gather her mind fully A knock feel upon her door. She jumped and began to shiver, fear and disgust taking over her entire being. She could not bring herself to speak, her voice had seemingly vanished. Another knock came upon the door and she rose and made her way to it. Her left eye looked through the peeping hole and she was relieved to find her brother standing on the other side.

She opened it with rapid speed and closed it the same. The two embracing as the door shut. Her tears were warm upon his cotton blouse. Her body even more so, he kissed her forehead and wiped her tears and found voice.

" Sister why do you weep? Is it for the same reasons as I have heard wondering about our halls?" She pulled away and looked into his gaze like that of a scolded child. "I believe so brother, The Prince wishes me to lay with him, if I do not he will reveal our secret." Raxsies chuckled at the urgency in her voice. He stroked her hair and smiled removing a dagger from its sheath upon his right hip.

"Foolish girl, a dead man tells no tales. But do you see why my dear sister I have kept an eye on you. You fell for his charm and he has captured you thinking you a fool." Adalaya arched a brow at his words. " Have you slain the man?" She clung to his blouse half of her praying that he had, while the other was yet deciding if it favored the man.

"Not as of yet sister. Why would I slay the man for simply walking down our corridors as honored guest? Why not use his death as A way to not only rid us of current problem and those to come?" "I do not understand brother whatever do you mean?" "He will be here shortly. It is a crime payable by death as you know to lie with you until after your hand has been bound to a husband. You will cry rape I will so happen to be walking down the hall and hear you. And while he is a top of you I shall take his life. All you must do is simply act your part am I understood?"

"Aye brother, but where shall you be at rest while this takes place." "I will be just down the hall, do not worry remember the things I have taught you." Adalaya nodded and made her way back to the bed as Raxseis took his leave. He made his way into A nearby study were tea, and a few books awaited him. He placed his weapon out of sight under his garments and took a seat to read. A faint knock came upon the door.

"Who goes there?" He spoke in a calm and dominant tone. "It is I, young Emerald, I have come to seek your company." His brow furrowed his interest now peeked but his mind remained on the subject at hand. "Do enter Emerald." The door slid open softly almost making no sound. In stepped the young dancer of seduction. Her sun claimed flesh adorned in emerald silks to match the joy of her eyes. She wore no shoes, instead her feet bore the jingle of jewels and chains as did her hands. He turned his head over his shoulder catching a glimpse of her beauty, Raxseis gave her A smirk and stood.

"What can I do for you on such an eve as this?" "I simply wished to see you a final time before my departure.Out of every man I have met or danced for you captured me the most." Her voice was soft and sweet like that of his young sister. Though between the two, this girl was blessed with an exotic beauty he had never once come across. "Well I do enjoy hearing such words. But I am afraid you have decided to find me at a bad time. I am deep within my studies."

He needed her to leave, she would ruin everything if she were to stay. "My deepest apologies your grace. I just.... well I ..." She couldn't finish her words. She felt foolish for even allowing her mind to put such together? "Well?" He said questioning.

"I only thought that perhaps you would enjoy my services alone.... perhaps to see what a dancer of the sands can offer such a god of a man." Her words were like an addictive poison, he looked out of the window noticing the time was sure to come any moment. Should he turn her away? Or could this woman become his tool? One to be admired in more ways than one. "Well I suppose you hold talents to read the minds of men such as I. Please do Stay."

Adalaya had begun to pace. The comfort of her bed was no more, she was on edge, what was taking the Prince so long? Her gown drug the floor behind her with every step taking the beating of her racing mind with ever repetitive stride. Several knocks feel upon the door and she knew who it was that had come to command them. She rushed to the bed unbuttoning the front of her gown and laid back.

" Enter." Yorowan stepped through the door, his body nearly bare. It shut roughly behind him, the sound causing the Princess to tremble. "I see you understand orders quite well. Remove your clothing girl." "No." "No? Do you not remember what I spoke to you?" "I do indeed, its just that... well... I would enjoy it much more if you were to rip them from my body. In an act of superior dominance. I am however, to be your most humble servant." He smiled grimly the sound of her now wanting exactly what he intended to give making his cock stand instantly. "Then stand and move to me so that we may indulge in such forbidden pleasures."

Rising she made her way to him trying her best to act as if she was innocent.The sway of her hips came to shift as fluid as an ocean wave. Her firm breasts gleaming under the flickering of the nearby fire. Large and strong hands grabbed her arms roughly. His right grasping the middle waist of the nightgown. Pulling downward it ripped with ease, she jumped. "Enjoying this are you girl?" "Very much so. Please continue after all I am simply a whore as you have so branded me. I wish to see the true man I am to marry." He continued and before long slammed her onto the bed and hovered over her. His weight pinned her hands above her head. Before she knew it, his body has slithered its way between her thighs.

Back within the study, the young Prince gound himself indulging in conversation with his new found doll. "Prince Raxseis, I am so blessed to be able to touch you this way." "That you are and if you continue I may just have to purchase you from your Master." Her hands slid up and down his chest, rich oils massaging into his hardened muscles. Her palms were soft her touch like that of satin. She moved down to his waste and finally came to untie his britches. She sighed happily catching glimpse at his size and length.

"Have you ever had a man take you bearing the same size as I?" She looked down and chuckled. "No I have not.. my Master has kept me under lock and key. He is the only man who has ever made use of me in such ways. Do trust, his size is no comparison to yours." Her lips moved down and engulfed him softly, slowly and before long she came up with a pop. Raxseis shivered as she continued, her oiled hand moving to tend the rest of his manhood. His hands slipped into her hair, gripping it and aiding her in the movement of her strokes.

"Ohhh yes deeper, go deeper." Just a few doors down, the Princess found herself being taken in ways she could have never imagined. She found herself being fucked and hard, it felt so good, she had waited just long enough to look the victim. Hair tangled and beaten, clothing ripped yet still clinging to her body.

"Help!!!! Let me go!! Get off me!!!" She yelled into the night. Her voice carrying into the dim halls of the castle. Yorowan looked down to her and slammed his hand to her mouth. " Shut up! What do you think you are doing?!" She struggled against him, biting his hand and screaming out once more. "Please!!! someone aid me!! I am being raped!!!"

Raxseis moaned louder as he heard his sister's pleas. Emerald pulled up from her pleasuring and spoke. "Your Grace what is that?" "What is what?" He pushed her head back down and threw his head back. She shook her head slipping from his manhood to speak again. "I hear someone screaming, someone asking for help." "I hear nothing."

"Help me please!!!" The words filled his ears and he rose pushing Emerald aside. He pulled on his pants and headed for the door. "Come, girl and keep up." They made their way down the hall at a running pace. Raxseis the first to charge into the room. Emerald covered her eyes and slid to rest onto a nearby wall. Charging forward the Prince grabbed hold of the rapist ripping him from his sister who quickly covered herself. The two men began to fight Yorowan landing the first punch to his jaw. Raxseis returned the blow pressing his foe into the nearby closet. The blade was removed and before long found its place within the man's gut. It cut long and deep, dragging from his right side to his left. Yorowan dropped to the floor his entrails falling before his bended knees, just as his face came to meet the stone floor.

"Emerald quickly call for guards! Go now hurry!" She nodded and ran from the room. Just as she turned outward Raxseis covered his hands with blood.

"Spread your legs sister!" He made his way over and spread the blood onto her thighs and over her sex. He had memorized how the severing of a maidenhead looked when he took her own. Within seconds both Adalaya and the bedding were covered in the blood of Yorowan.

"You know what to do." He spoke as he rushed to wipe his hands clean. He dropped the blade beside the man's body as he heard rushing footsteps coming up the hall. Adalaya remained shivering in faux fear and terror. Tears streamed downs her cheeks, Her brother paced upon the floor as the guards entered.

"Your Grace what has happened?" Asked the head guard. "Our honored guest has robbed my sister of her purity see my father informed and the body taken to the gardens." "Yes M'lord." The men moved to the body and removed it from the room the other moving to the King's royal quarters. Raxseis moved to Adalaya hugging her. His voice whispering in her ear. "I shall protect you."


	7. Chapter 7

A knock of urgency came to fall upon the King's chamber door. The sound of gauntlets clashing upon the iron cast of his doors at that time of night was a sign of panic. He rose and with haste moved to greet whatever was to claim his attention.

"M'lord you must come at once! The Prince, he has assaulted your daughter."

"What?!" The King rushed past the guards and towards the quarters of his youngest child. He feared the worst, had she been beaten? Had she been raped? The streaks of torches flew past his vision in a blur. He cut the corner rapidly his hand grasping the sides of the opening of doors. Thereupon a bed of blood sat his daughter sobbing into the arms of her brother, his eldest son. He entered softly into the room. To his left lay the Prince, and though his daughters virginity had been stolen he yet wondered what would come of them all now. A guest of royal blood lay lifeless within his walls. This would mean war from both ends. He must have words with the King at once.

Adalaya looked up to him, eyes ablaze with tears of horror. And within the moment he saw the face of his beloved wife. And the gaze she had given him upon her death bed. He motioned the guards out of the room.

"Leave us, I wish private words with my children." Without a word in exchange the guards turned and left them to speak. The room was hot with rage, the sadness within it heavy. " My daughter I am so sorry." "Father!" Adalaya rose from the bed and the arms of Raxseis and flew into her father's. Gown and flesh both covered in now drying blood. She clung to him in a way that almost cost him his footing. He held her close, his heart sank with sheer pity for her.

"My child you must dry your eyes and tend your body." "But father I can not, it hurts so bad. I do not know if I will ever be ever to call a man my own." Raxseis rose from the bed and moved over to the man's body. A dark realization coming to mind. "My son what happened?"

"I walked in on this sick fuck raping my sister. So I killed him, it was the only way for me to get him off her. I had no other choice father, my apologies." "You did what you thought was right I can not fault you for such." He leaned down turning his back to his father. His hands dipped into the puddle of blood underneath his victim. And with sour expression he took hold of the mans cock and covered it to with blood. He wiped his hands clean and stood.

"Father we should dispose of the father as well. Say they never arrived." "My son what madness do you yet speak? Are we to slaughter all those who arrived with them? Are we to say that people of the sands could not navigate into the cities without aid and came to perish between their lands and our own. There is no way we could accomplish such. NO! This shall indeed be set into the eyes of the public. We are those of the richeous not those of the darkness of cold murder."

Adalaya continued to cling to him, her sobbing beginning to slow. He eyes locking onto her love, over her knowing father's shoulder. The Prince shot her a look of pure joy. "Aye father and what if those he calls kin decide to burn this castle from Grand Hall to courtyard?After all he was the God of war to their people. His father will move against us!"

"Lower voice my son I understand your frustration but you are but her brother. I am her father I feel more sorrow than you ever could I allowed this to happen. But you must remember the cost of rape is death. The crime was committed and the debt was repaid with his life. His father has no ground to stand upon. The purity of a woman especially that of royal blood far surpasses the worth of any man."

The guards returned.

"M'lord, The King wishes to retrieve the body of his son, and wishes words with you. He speaks words of peace, and regret." Paraxious nodded and released his daughter into the hands of his son. "See her to a bath and perhaps a cup of tea, I shall return to greet you within the dawn of the sun." With that he took his leave motioning the guards to take the body and follow him.

Emerald stood leaning upon the wall outside unknowing if she should enter or not. She kept her eyes low as the King and his men walked past her. Her eyes only rose to look upon the face of her slain Prince. A man she had admired since her childhood. Emerald spoke a soft prayer for him and turned to enter the room. Her heart-stopping to find Raxseis and Adalaya embracing and locking lips. She turned and slid back onto the wall shivering. What was going on? What had she witnessed? It was not her place to say nor draw conclusion. All she could feel was jealousy, all she understand was betrayal.


	8. Chapter 8

She could feel her heartbeat thumping in her ears. She felt a wave of liquid heat flush her face, she had just witnessed a crime. And possibly a murder of unjust cause. Emeralds hand came to cling roughly at the necklace upon her breast, had she thought wrong of her host? Her body moved away from the door the jingle of her coins upon her dance robes alerting Raxseis and Adalaya that they were no longer alone. Before long he had let his sister go with only a command to see herself cleaned before rushing after the slave. She moved quickly, yet, his long stride finally caught up with her.

"Emerald!" He barked his large hand tightly grasping her forearm. She turned to face him her eyes wet with tears of sorrow not only for herself but for her Prince. "Why do you flee what crime have you come to commit?" He questioned, his eyes searching her own for answers, those he already knew answer to. " I run because I value my life Sir... if I stay here what came of the Prince will pass onto me I am certain."

His hand moved to caress her cheek in the most sensual of ways.

"Just moments ago you spoke words placing me high in your eyes and yet presently you stand before me not able to gaze into my own. If your lips can warm my cock your eyes can warm my soul."

Emerald looked up, she could not deny that this man was simply gorgeous. He made her swoon despite the fact that he possibly laid with his sister. The tears fell then and for a moment the young woman wondered if she would be trading the witch for the devil, by remaining in a castle forged in a wall of lies and deception. " I saw you kiss your sister quite passionately..... I simply think that by remaining here knowing what I know that I will meet the same fate as..."

His finger came to silence her. "You shall not there is much you do not know nor could you understand, perhaps one day I can explain it to you better. But honestly do you want to return to your Master? Living a life of shuffling in chains serving some fat bastard, who views you as less than a stray dog?"

She looked down unsure. He kissed her then, so soft and sweet and in that moment she realized she did not wish to leave this man at least not yet.

On the other side of the Castle the king found himself pacing before his guest. The man was stricken with both sorrow and shame. His personal translator speaking directly to the King. He wore robes of ivory and gold with hair as deep as brass. His voice flowing and songlike. "My leader gives his most sincere apologies and wishes to make peace. He speaks that he bears three virginal daughters, of them you may take two of your choosing to do as you wish. He also offers twenty horses from his herd, he understands what came of your daughter can never be repaid but hopes this offer shall be enough to rebuild a bridge to a new found friendship."

The King hung his head in thought, two daughters for his boys. Marriage would end the troublesome rumors of his eldest son and youngest daughter. He had taken the rapists life and still he would gain. "Tell you leader I accept his offer and that I wish all three girls to be delivered here within three days time until their arrival you all will be held prisoners." The man spoke in their native tongue surely the last words that passed his lips shocked the shaman. He spoke something back something the King could not understand but surely he knew it was not pleasant.

" My leader says he will agree but he wishes to remain as a guest, he should not be held prisoner for his sons actions."

" He should indeed, for it is a father to whom, teaches his son. For now I shall hold my final judgment for now I will see you all to my dungeons. Guards!" Men stormed in from every direction seizing the men and dragging them out despite their screams and struggles. The king watching on knowing there would be some form of uprising after his hard decision. These were men of blood, men of skill. Their Prince lay slain, his daughter left soiled, nothing good would come of this.


	9. Chapter 9

The warm rays of the sun came to slide over Emerald as she stirred awaked. She had fallen victim to the charm of the young Prince. Never had she been so utterly smitten with a man such as he. While she knew he had come to commit one of the vilest sins, she found ways to look past it. Her shoulder came to whine in pain from the bite he had left her with the night before. Her ears picked up the sounds of heavy footsteps and chatter down below. The pair had fallen to his bed by the window, leaving their actions to those in the courtyard to view them. Beyond the gates stood the travelers of her clan. Along with them came the three daughters of her King. Each female sat upon their horse head bowed in not only fear but resentment as well. Emerald rolled over to find a snoring Rexseis beside her. Other than his snoring, his love making and comforting skills had been beyond par. A weak smile painted her lips and then she woke him.

"My Lord...it seems your future wives have come to arrive." She spoke sweetly. Her body had grown cold as he turned from her. His hair came to fall before his face, his arm falling limp over the bed. "I have no wife nor shall I." He spoke, his voice deep and husky. The faint stroke of a petite hand came to rush through his hair. "It is said that your father has agreed to see both you and your brother wed. It will bring peace to our lands despite the horrors that have come to pass." With that his eyes jumped open, his body soon following. Ripping from the sheets, he took to his closet pulling on whatever was nearest to his grasp. "How long have you known of this?" He questioned. "For about a day, I heard it in my passing through the kitchens." The Prince's eyes came to roll in disgust. "If my father thinks I shall sell my soul to that of a savage born bitch he has truly gone idiot."

The door came to slam behind him leaving Emerald alone. She knew not what to do; she could not be found there. But if she were to leave his quarters and be seen worse may happen. Her only chance to flee the land was rapidly coming to a close. Today would be the day her choice had to be made. Rising to pull on her silks, the young slave girl found her way about the chambers. Her hands carefully slid about his drawers in hopes of finding something. After several failed attempts revealing nothing more but undergarments, she found her answers. Within his highest drawer sat a box of gold, within it the tale of the twisted love the siblings came to share. "Oh no.." She thought aloud as she came to hold a band of hair. Its tones were of two different shades, leaving Emerald to assume they belonged to the Prince and Princess. As she moved around hair pins and ribbons she came to find a vial filled with blood. It sat unlike any other blood she had come to see before and suddenly she felt sick. She placed the glass bottle back within the box and held her hand to her mouth. The strike of sheer disbelief and repugnance nearly stopped her heart.

"Father! Father!" Raxseis growled his body coming to slide into the presence of his sire. "What is it my boy?" The King inquired his eyes lifting from a parcel he was writing upon. "You planned to have me betrothed to the daughter of a savage. A man who came to raise a man no better than a common rapist. I took their brothers life do you expect them to be dutiful wives? They will hold resentment towards us for all eternity. Perhaps slay me in my sleep if given the chance. Do you hold no loyalty in your heart anymore?" Raxseis tone had risen to nothing more but disrespect. "I seek our advancement! I seek peace with as many nations as possible; I will not stand living forever my son. Neither you or your brother is ready to rule alone. For you to claim a throne surrounded by war would be devastating. This must and will be done, this time there shall not be an argument between us. The songs of our cities, sing grave rumors of you and your sister. I as King must see these proved wrong and forgotten."

Raxseis took a long hard look over his father. "So you believe it then? That I fuck my own sister? How could a father be so cruel? I find the warmth of many women, yet my sister does not stand one of them." Paraxious came to sigh as he stood to hug his son. "I do not believe them, yet they slither around us as if poisonous snakes ready to devour our reign. I adore all my children, but I must remain an honest man. The both of you do make it hard not to believe such things. Time after time betrothals have come to fail. She never once wished the company of other girls, instead she found playing with you more interesting. You seem to always find something wrong with those she is to wed. I pray to our gods that such rumors are not true. If they were...." He trailed off, yet his facial expression said all it needed to.

"What would come of such things would forever scar me my son. I fear the possibility of their truth; it would drive me to do things I would never wish to." "What of it then father? Would you see us dead?" Paraxious looked to his son, but gave voice to no words. It was then Raxseis realized that would be exactly what would come of them. "If you wish to shame our name, by seeing me bound to a savage for the rest of my life...so be it. If that is what it will take to prove to you dear father, that I am not a dog I shall do it." "At least the savage you would come to claim would be worth more than the slave you currently fuck .I have seen the way you look at her. She is exotic and beautiful I must admit, but she will never become your wife." A low growl came to split the lips of the Prince. "Better I lay with a slave than my own kin" He spoke no other words and took his leave.

" I wonder where his kind go?" Adalaya came to speak. She and her ladies had come to watch the burning of the fallen Prince. Deep down she felt regret, but even still he had just been someone who stood in her way. She stood clinging to the necklace of her mother. The day had brought back memories of her services. "Milady, we should return to the confinement of the castle His Grace made it very clear he did not wish you here." Spoke the young Puaiewa. "I suppose you are right, yet I would not be a lady if I did not bid my betrothed a farewell. Go on without me I have words of privacy I wish to speak." The ladies gave a curtsy and set off. Adalaya had come to shed a few tears for the man, but as to why she did not know. A single rose of green came to sit upon the burning heap of wood. She bowed her head and began. "It is a shame that you came to lose your life. But know that your death is not in vein, it has secured a love so strong it would break down mountains. I had no choice... I cannot be taken from him. No one could ever understand the power our love holds. So for that I thank you and wish you a proper placement in the final life form."

She turned to take her leave but suddenly a soft touch came to grace her shoulder. She slowly turned not sure of who it could be. A smile crept over her face knowing it was her brother. But as she came to face the victim of her brother's obsession she fainted from fright. Like the grim reaper, he had come to haunt her. His death had been cast far before his time, and thus he now walked among his killers, haunting, deceiving. A gift from his god Dovium, was the ability to walk among the living as he once was. He could not speak nor, could he claim their lives but he could make their existence hell. At his side stood a creature unlike one that had come to walk their lands before. It was a hound of Drathell who stood as large and grand as a fine charger. He too had been unleashed, commanded by the will of his master standing so alive within death.


	10. Chapter 10

The Princess at last came to awaken, her chest still rising and falling in a rapid pace. She rubbed her eyes, praying that what she had come to view before she blacked out was but a dream. Unfortunately, it had not been a dream, but a harsh and deadly realization. Her black trumpet gown rested upon the blowing grasses in a heap of shining fabric. She pressed her palms into the soil and scampered backward in fear. Unlike how he once stood, the deceased Prince stood over her in a ghastly form. The very form he had come to hold at the time of his death. His once radiant skin, laid upon his bones in a putrid gray, his intestines hung nearly to his knees and swarms of carcass flies buzzed about him. He reached for her and she screamed, no one could hear her, she was too far from the castle.

The demonic dog stepped forward, his flews coming to curl over the tar-like coloring of his gums. His fangs hung from them nearly nine inches long, their hypodermic shape leaving her with a deep-seated serpent's fear. Unlike the soul that now came to command the beast, it stood very much real. The scent of it turned her stomach, the odor of urine and burning flesh came to slither up her nostrils. For several long moments, Adalaya could not decide if the scent came from the burning body behind her, or the beast before her eyes. It moved towards her in an eerie manner, saliva dripping from its snapping jaws. The being was unlike anything she had ever come to witness. It was large and menacing, with a mane much like that of a lion hanging in matted cords from the center of its head down its chest. The male hounds paws rivaled that of the largest dishes her family came to own. As she gathered her footing she wondered what had come to create such a vile thing.

Her fear and disbelief grounded her to the dirt, the heat behind her the only sign she may still be among the living. Her eyes frantically darted about the vast open area, hoping anyone would see her and come to her aid. There was no one, not even a servant she could run too. She wanted nothing more but to see a face, a living face in those long moments. It was then that, she cursed herself for sending away her maids. Knowing no other option, she slowly backed away gathering the fabric of her dress into her fists. The Princess turned upon heel and ran. The soil beneath her feet seemed to give out from under her weight, causing her to stumble as she fled. Her screams continued to flow from her lungs, her entire body running warm with an inferno of terror.

The spirit of sin her and her brother had come to cast upon themselves, came to mount his beast. His large hands, now equipped with razor sharp claws came to grip onto the canines horns. - "Reo'fi heisa." "Pursue her." He commanded. As the words fled his lips the Drathellian born dog took to the chase, a thundering roar chasing down the heiress of the land. The young woman could feel the push of the hellhound's breath upon her back. The baying of its hunting call sending a lightning-like shiver down her spine. "I am going to die!" She thought to herself as she ran, her knuckles turned white as her fists clenched tighter to the heavy fabrics. The heiress managed to break left into the Arcalome forest. Her father had always forbid her to travel there but she no longer cared of his rules. Within an instant despite the light of day, she found that the forest had a night like atmosphere to it. The sound of breaking branches and the crunching of dead leaves were behind her. She took a moment to look over her shoulder, the hound was still in pursuit and was gaining on her.

The sound of igniting fire came to dance with the ballad of nature the hound came to play with each leaping gallop he made. All she could feel now was impending doom, a lump came to well in her throat and suddenly her body began to give out. Her breathing fell into a rhythm of rapid and short breaths, her chest now set to fire from the exertion. The forest behind her came to be engulfed in flames. The smoldering scent filled her nostrils causing further panic to run raped through her veins. In her frantic attempts to get away, she failed to notice the small cottage to her left.

A tall woman dressed in evergreen robes stood feeding her winged horse. She looked to the North, taking note of the smoke venting upwards from its direction. The woman's eyes came to cut in thought, had the subjects at last come to kill her? As she evened her gaze she noticed a girl run past her, a very familiar girl. "Adalaya?" She spoke softly, before the hound and its Master came to rush past as well. The sorceress gathered her bow and quiver and pulled herself up onto her horse. -"Furtuva triotom."- "Follow them." She spoke.

The Princess tripped and rolled down the hill before her. Strands of her hair coming to catch and rip from her scalp on her fall down. The sharp ends of branches and thorns came to rake against her soft skin, leaving several thin trails of blood in her wake. Gathering her footing once more the young girl ran across the small river, the rushing waters pulling at her like the hands of demons. Making it across, she stopped a moment to see the hound on the hills edge. It began to descend, as it did a shadow came to fly over her. She watched as a amber brown winged horse came to land within the river before her. It's sixty-foot wingspan coming to fully expand before her attackers. The creature came to rear up, its front hooves rolling towards the hound. Through her blurred vision she could see a figure atop the creature, a bow in hand.

"Help me please!!!" She cried. "Remain there girl!" The woman came to say as the hound charged. Her mount came to rest upon all fours, pivoting rapidly to then buck. The hind legs of the mythical beast came to connect harshly to the jaw of the hound. The strength behind the kick sending it flying back into the trunk of an old tree. Adalaya watched as the ghost of her betrothed came to fall from his beast, his soul now turning to ashes. As the hound came to stand, her savior pulled back upon her bow and let it loose. The arrow came to pierce the front part of the creatures skull killing it instantly. It had been laced with suns bane, a known poison lethal to those of the underworld. Replacing her weapon back over her shoulder, the mysterious woman urged her winged horse forward. She extended a hand to the fallen Princess. "Come now child, I will see your wounds tended." Adalaya looked up with a shaken spirit, taking her hand. "Who are you?" The woman pulled her up upon the back of her war horse and gave her a pleasant smile. "I am your aunt."


	11. Chapter 11

The sound of crackling fire came to lure Adalya back into consciousness. She sat up, palms pressing firmly into the straw filled cot she had somehow ended up on. Her wrist came to rub her weary eyes, her vision blurred from a long and much needed sleep. Her chest came heave a sigh, pain seemed to ripple through her in a dull dance of torture.

"I must have been dreaming again." She thought to herself.

Besides the light of the fire, the small cottage she had come to recover in was dark, and held many odd and unfamiliar scents to it. They were pungent in their various aromas and unlike anything the Princess had come to smell before. A growing pain came to settle in her abdomen and suddenly she felt sick. The new smells seemed to churn her stomach, so much so, that she came to gag. Frantically, she searched the small home for anything able to catch what she knew was to come. Gathering a large bowl, she came to squat beside the bed and empty her stomach. Just as she was near to done with the horrid task, the strange woman who had saved her life came to swing open the door.

"None of it was a nightmare..." She shuttered aloud, setting the bowl down wiping her mouth.

"I am afraid not young girl, things would be much cleaner if you had been dreaming." The woman moved to her setting down the basket of wild berries she had come to collect upon a nearby table. She shook her head and couldn't help but chuckle at the girl's weak stomach.

"You poor dear, I assume essence of Sunglave is not common in your home. Do not fear the longer you stay, the more immune you shall become to its potent odor."

She gathered the bowl and made way outside to discard of it and the contents within. Making her way back in, she helped Adalaya back to the bed placing a soft palm upon her forehead. She was feverish, and the wise woman began to connect the dots as to why she yet suffered. During the pursuit and travel back to her humble home, she took note of only a few scratches and harsh bruises. This had to be something more, an illness perhaps.

"How does your vision fare you girl?" She asked moving to gather a poultice to apply to the larger cuts upon her arms and legs. "Fine I suppose. I have so many questions for you.... how did you know me? You claim you are my aunt yet, my mother had no siblings. My father never once came to mention you or your relation to our family."

The woman came to rub the dressing softly into the Princess's wounds, her hands soothing and caring. "I have many questions to ask of you as well Princess. The first, how did you come to venture into these forbidden woods? The second, how one as young as you, has the wrath of Drathell hunting her as if a rabbit in the spring? As for your curiosity and weariness of my honesty, your father made sure you and your two brothers never knew of me. Truthfully, I cannot hold resentment towards him for such laws. Like most, your father fears what he does not understand, or what is foreign to him. If you truly wish to know the truth, you should ask him."

Adalaya pulled away growling a bit in frustration. "If he has lied to me all this time, kept my eyes from seeing the true light, what makes you think he will tell me now? I am here with you, you saved my life, now please explain to me why." There was a large amount of pleading to her words and the woman gave a nod. She saw her hands cleaned and took a seat by the fire. "Come girl let me explain things to you." Adalaya moved to kneel upon the floor before her host, ears eager to hear the story to come.

"I was once promised to your father, I was the eldest of my family. During King Paraxious' visits to our homeland my sister fell for him, found him charming and well spoken. He was rich and had so many smaller cities under his control even at that age. I told my sister that if her heart truly desired the man that I would step aside and allow her to wed him but she refused. Unlike others in our family who bore Tyliquin blood, I feel into a deep obsession with the dark arts. Much like Soria the first witch of Hailotia. I never used my skill for evil, but instead found it important to know of everything to be ready for anything. Back then, my sister and I were the closest in our clan. We shared everything, so of course when I came to be able to wield such gifts I showed her. She seemed captivated just as I had been, and we vowed to hide each other's secrets. We knew such practices were forbidden. Yet, love is a dangerous and wild thing. When the day of my wedding came to draw near, your mothers mind seemed to change. It at last came to strike her heart that the man of her dreams would forever be out of reach."

The woman leaned forward to stoke the fire, sadness upon her face. She sighed taking her nieces hand softly into her grasp.

"I am sorry if this pains you, but I beg of you M'lady, please tell me more. I know so little of my mother." Her aunt gave a nod and continued.

"Three days before my wedding, your mother snuck off to my private study, gathering many of my dark talismans, she presented them to our father and within a moment I was banished here to these woods. I was only the young age of seventeen, a woman in the eye of the crown, but a child in all reality. I was left with no food, weapons, or coin to fill my purse. I was sent here alone with only the clothing I currently had on my back. As I am sure you know, my debt to the Paraxious clan had to be paid somehow. Your mother got her wish, and so she and your father came to be married. When she came to bare his first son, she set forth to seek me out. Our meeting did not go well, even still, she had the royal constructors build me this cottage, and gave me a few moons earning of gold crowns. She came to visit me often after that, the last time I saw her was just before your birth. After that, I heard of her demise and even after so many years had come to pass, I was not allowed to attend her burial."

Adalaya came to shed a few tears for her aunt, she could not believe that a man had come between such a close sibling bond. For several long moments, she came to wonder what had been so wonderful about her father, that her mother would turn upon her blood. For years, nobles and subjects alike had come to paint the image and life of her mother to that of a saint, when she was a traitor and an envious being. She rose slowly hugging her aunt, arms trembling. Deep down, somewhere in her unsettled spirit, the Princess wished she had split this woman's womb.

"I am so sorry, for all that my mother put you through. I am proud to call you my family knowing how strong you must have been to survive out here, alone. Might I ask your name?" With a smile, her elder came to speak. "Reia the Portentous." She replied softly. The young woman came to wince slightly in pain. Her right hand moved to her stomach as another wave of cramping came to rush through her abdomen. "Ahh!" She cried out, moving away from her embraces.

"What is the matter child? Have the scents gotten to you again?" "No...my stomach, it hurts incredibly." Reia stood taking hold of her niece's forearms standing her up. "Come now to the bed with you. Let me have a look." Doing as told Adalaya came to lie back the pain growing worse. "It feels as if something is ripping me!" Those words came to give the knowledge of her true condition. Reia came to place a hand gently onto her stomach, then moved to examine her breasts. "When have you last bled girl?" "I..I..don't remember, so much has been going on I've lost track." The dark sorceress rose at once, gathering a small cup and setting a kettle to boil over the fire. "Try to relax and breathe, do not fret it will only cause the pain to grow worse."

Moving to a window seal, the tall witch gathered several oat flower petals, a few partridgeberries as well as a few stalks of cramp bark. She saw all items into the cup, soon after pouring the hot water over them. "I am making you a tea, it will stop the pain, and with the gods help save your child." Adalaya came to shoot her vision onto her caretaker, eyes now wide with disbelief. "Child?! What..what do you mean child? I .. I..?" She lost her words, each of them now catching in her throat choking the air from her lungs. She felt faint, she was near to passing out when she remembered who the child would come to belong too. That fact came to settle her somewhat, a hand now moving to her stomach. "Oh please aunt Reia! Please save my baby! I had no idea! I cannot lose it. Raxseis, he will be so disappointed in me if I do."

The witch let the herbs and berries stew a while before passing her the cup. "Shh hush now and drink or all will be lost." She had been so concentrated upon aiding her pain that her niece's words had slipped into one ear and out the other. Then it hit her. "Raxseis, your brother Raxseis...so it is true?" The Princess drank the tea quickly, nodding. She felt both shame and pride, then the fear of the truth coming to light came to strike her face like the back hand of a master. "Oh please...do not tell my father...I beseech you." Reia came to chuckle placing a caring hand onto the girls. "No need to worry about that, he would never share words with me, and even if he did no one would believe me over you. Have no fear, I am not your mother. I understand the power of love, and as many things as I may dabble in, destroying love and its power is certainly not one of them."

"I swear to you, this child you say I carry was conceived in love. I wish this baby now more than anything, but however shall I hide it? I will come to grow, I stand without a husband, father will see me hung, or beheaded." "Shh, shh do not think of such harsh things, we will figure something out. Has the pain come to subside at all?" The young woman gave a nod, setting the empty cup onto the floor. "Thank you, so much, for everything. How can I ever repay your kindness?" "You do not have to pay me anything, this is what family does for one another, true family. You stay in bed, I am going to go and gather us some supper. You are eating for two now, it is important that you keep yourself well fed." A soft kiss came to linger about the girl's forehead and she smiled. At last she felt in such a short time that she had a mother. "Please do not stay away too long, what if that thing comes back to kill me?"

"Worry not your pretty head Adalaya, it shall never return. I saw it slain, how I will tell you another time. For now, lean back close your eyes and sleep. I will wake you when supper is ready." Reia gathered her cloak, bow and quiver and set off closing the door snugly behind her.


	12. Chapter 12

A man of six foot two came to make way into the Grand Hall of the castle. It was Sir Nicolas Fairbey, a loyal servant of the King's Guard. The metal gauntlet upon his hand came to fist about the hilt of his sword, Daydream. His face rested hidden behind his armored mask, his disciplined eyes now looking onto his leader. "My King, the young Lady Adalaya has gone missing. My men have come to search every inch of stone this castle has to offer, yet, we have found no sign of her." Paraxious allowed his head to fall into his palms, the worry for his daughter now coming to strike his heart. He felt sick, terrified and most of all disappointed. "And my son? Raxseis? Has he been accounted for?" "Aye, Sir. He has been, in fact, he wishes to scout with us to find her." The wise old man stood from his throne, his limbs coming to tremble beneath his weight. "At least she has not come to run away with him." He though silently, even though he loved his children, the weight of the rumors of them had come to slither truth into his mind.

"How long has it been? Since she was last seen and where?" The Knight came to straighten himself. He knew the wrath of his commander may come to strike him this day. "Two, Your Grace. She was last seen at the funeral pyre of the rapist. According to her ladies, she sent them away to be granted privacy with the remains." "Two days?! My daughter has been missing for two days! Did you think it wise, to now tell me of her absence? For all, we know she could be dead! You know as well as all others of her current frame of mind!" He began to pace, his thoughts coming to swirl as harshly as a tornado within his skull. "Raxsies knows these lands better than I do. Take him with you, if she is alive she may have gotten quite far by now. I want her returned to me in no more than three days. See yourself to the Carpathio cells. Allow my son to at last mount our greatest and hidden weapon. He will be able to cover more ground that way. The rest of you may travel by horse and horse alone."

The tall man came to bow in silence to the command, he turned upon heel and headed for the chambers of the Prince. Paraxious took a seat, tears beginning to pool within his eyes. His hands moved to ball into his long thick strands and he screamed. The pain caused by his wife's death now coming to awaken within his breast. His wails came to release some of his stress, at last, he spoke. "Oh Cambria, loving goddess of protection, I beseech you, aid my men in returning my daughter home to me."

Raxsies sat at his desk writing harshly upon a long and gold trimmed parchment. Emerald sat at his feet in silence. The repetitive scratching noise of the annoyed her. She had lived her entire life as a slave, dealt with countless things she did not care for, she knew better than to draw attention to it. "M'Lord?" She came to speak as if a mouse, her tone carrying ribbons of pleading within it. "Yes?" Was all he said in return. She had hoped that he would have stopped writing, but instead, he continued, not caring to even look at her. "Your sister, will you leave me here alone when you...go to find her?" She dropped her gaze, her dainty hands moving to rub her now aching knees. "I may have too, our horses travel much faster with only one rider. You will slow me down. I assure you though, no harm shall befall you in my time away. Mind your manners, and do as told. If you can do that, I will return to you and speak to my father about becoming your new Master."

Her lower lip came to be imprisoned between her teeth. She was nervous, her current Master laid in chains an innocent man. What would become of her with no royal to stand in the way? "What if I do not wish to become your slave? There is so much more to life than serving men and their needs. You have come to show me that." At last, he set his quill down and sighed. Emerald gave a silent sigh of relief as he did. "You can never be more to me than that, I am an heir to our father's throne, our Kingdom would never accept you as Queen, they may not even accept you as my Mistress." She looked down once more nodding her head. "As you desire my Prince." She spoke in return.

A knock fell upon the door. The Prince rushed to it, seeing it opened with ease. There stood Sir Nicolas, bowing in respect. "has he given me the permission to join the searching party?" The man came to nod. "Indeed, he also spoke of the cells, he wishes you to take flight rather than tread upon slowing soil." Raxseis turned to face Emerald. "Come girl, two more eyes will do us good." A beam of light seemed to grow within the young woman, her face now gleaming with happiness. "Yes, my Prince at once. Should I gather anything for our trip?" "No simply wear what already adorns you, I will warn, your thighs may be rubbed raw by the time we return."

The three came to make way down into the cells, the pathway was wet and more often than not they found their faces touched by the hanging moss above them. The sound of iron chains could be heard moving across the stone, a pattern of soft breathing now coming to visit their ears. "Where are we going? What is down here?" Emerald came to question, there was a certain fear now surging through her veins. Her once smooth copper skin turned to gooseflesh and she shivered. The Prince came to smirk darkly, as they came to round the bend of the corridor. "A dragon." He spoke looking to her. He took note of the small bumps that now littered her frame and came to give voice once more. "Your body already knew that. It is why every fiber of your being is telling you to run. What you feel is dragon fear. Have no worries though, this one has been tamed for over two hundred years."

The tall Knight came to hand off a long whip to his Prince, the hilt, and endpoint made of pure metal. "Fly safely My Lord, it has been some time since this wretched beast has been allowed to take to the wind." With that he vanished, moving to gather with the rest of his men. Emerald came to walk forward before her keeper, her curiosity now beginning to bloom. There behind iron bars nearly as tall as the castle storm gates slumbered a dragon. It rested coiled up like a snake, it's tail wrapped around its nose. It was platinum in color, but its captivity had come to dull its scales. At full length, it stood over one thousand feet long and stood over seventy feet at the shoulders. "It is beautiful, I have never seen a dragon in all my life. My Master told me that they did no exist. That they and their tales were only humanities way of keeping themselves interested in the unknown."

Plucking a ring of keys from the wall nearest him, Raxseis saw the lock unlatched and stepped inside. "Your Master was a foolish and blind man. I am sure he came to choke upon his words when he was consumed by this very dragon. It is not the only that we hold in our possession either." He moved forward to unlock the large bolts that secured the flight path before the iron gates. With a steady pace, the Prince saw the gate fully opened leaving nothing but a small road and a sheer drop to be seen. The slave came to tremble, memories of the years of abuse from the old man surging through her mind. Half of her felt remorse, another life had been lost in innocence. The other half, however, felt pride, Raxseis had once more shown his admiration for her.

"Come, it is time we mount and begin this search. I am eager to see my sister returned to our father. I fear he may kill over if she is not found, or worse, found dead. He moved to take her hand, leading her up the long and spread wing of the beast. They came to tread carefully over the translucent leather of the bull's wings. After what seemed like forever to the both, they came to sit upon its back. Raxseis handed her off a thick lock of its mane. "Hold tight onto this, and do not look down if heights tend to unsettle you." She did as told and suddenly the fear crept in once more. Her throat felt tight, it was hard to swallow. Her world had just come to be expanded and now she set atop a giant mythical, no saddle or reins to secure her placement atop it.

To the Prince it was second nature, he took hold of the ivory mane of the Wyvern, his grasp allowing the whip to unravel. "Sia'to excra ven." He spoke in the mother tongue of Halotia. With his words, the whip came to set fire, its serrated hooks now coming to thrash against the softened scales of his mount. The dragon roared awake, the pitch of his vocals summoning rocks and dust alike to fall from above them. The sound of pain came to radiate from within its breast, its nostrils coming to smoke and curl fog above its small cage. It stood hesitantly rising to its hind legs to steady itself. Emerald came to whimper at its cries, she could nearly feel its pain. "Must you beat it? Does it not trust you enough to heed your command?" She said weakly as the bull came to walk into a run. "They heed only the command of pain and white magic. Now hold on it won't be long now."

The silver serpent came to breach its prison, its wings now fully expanded to a length of eight thousand feet. The charge was a lumbering and uncomfortable one, its heavy mass leaving small craters in the soil beneath its stride. The air current came to slice around its wings and suddenly it leaped towards the sky. With every beat his wings made, the grasses and trees below came to bend and kneel to their will. The air was cool and crisp so high in the clouds, it was then that Emerald lost all fear. She knew the feeling of a boot at her throat and knew that somewhere, somehow, she would free both herself and the fabled creature.


	13. Chapter 13

Nearly three days had come to pass since Prince Raxseis and his scouting party had departed from Morgaideign. King Paraxious had grown both impatient and fearful, that his only daughter had come to perish. His men had come to deliver him the same information time and time again, only now he too was losing hope. The only man who still held faith, was the Prince. He and Emerald had come to travel over two hundred miles in their time away. There was no sign of her, no hints as to where she had come to run, or who may have taken her. When the pair and their dragon at last came to land forty miles out from the Kingdom gates, Raxseis realized there was one place that had yet to be explored. The dark and forbidden forest of Quathor.

In a final attempt to locate his lost sibling, the Prince and his slave came to land before the entry of the forest. The cover of nightfall made the grouping of trees seem even more dangerous than they were known to be. So many stories had come to be told to Raxseis as a young boy, some true some falsehoods. As courageous and imbecilic to fear as he was, even he knew better than to tread without worry through the mass of tarnished soils. There were tales of witches, untamable beasts and worst of all, poisonous naga serpents who preyed upon humans. Of those, the young man feared the Smexvelt Tiavoe Vartu the most. It was known to commoners as the Smooth Pond Drake, a creature that stood sixty feet tall. It was known, that they held the scales of a dragon and the ferocity of the most rabid of hunters. Their teeth were known to be often taller than men, making it easy to consume anything their noxious breath came to consume. It was those facts, that came to cement Raxseis to his mount. For the first time in years he felt fear, then he thought, Adalaya could be alone in those woods.

"Must we venture into the woods? They do not seem very inviting." Spoke Emerald, her hands still fisting about the mane of the wyvern. She could feel it too, the pull of the dark magic stirring beyond the trees and their tricks. She had not been born to the land of her new owner, but she had heard stories about places such as Quathor. "I have no other choice. If it were me, alone in there, I would pray that someone would have the courage to come seek me out. I stand a strong and armed man, my sister has no skills of the sword. If she is alive somewhere in those woods, it will not be for much longer."

He stood, offering his hand to the woman. "Come on, the quicker we get inside the tree line, the sooner we can make our way out." Emerald shook her head hesitantly. "I cannot M'Lord, you were right, my body is exhausted, my thighs are near to bleeding from flight. May I please stay here with..." She trailed off, realizing that she did not know the creatures name. "With the dragon?" He came to say his hand moving to the hilt of his blade. "Yes..does he have a name?" Raxseis came to fold his arms about his chest. His eyes coming to cut in thought. He and the other dragon tamers had simply addressed their mounts as dragon or slave. He thought long and hard, his mind returning to the day his father had granted him the gift of the wyvern. "Servion Ignictus, is his name." Emerald at last let go of the creature's mane and placed a soft palm onto its neck. "What does that mean?" She came to question, her eyes falling onto the dull scales of the dragon. "It means fire slave in Halotian tongues. If you are truly so tired I suppose you may stay with him." He handed her off the whip and began to make way for the left wing of the beast. "If he begins to move around, simply give him a few lashings with that whip. I will try and return as soon as possible."

He made his way gingerly down the wing of the flying serpent, his mind forcing itself to focus upon the task at hand. As his boots hit the ground, he came to notice something. There blowing upon the risen root of a tree, flew a torn piece of fabric. The Prince came to kneel, his hands softly plucking the cloth free. He took several moments to look it over and then it hit him. It was from Adalaya's gown, the very gown she had worn to the funeral of the native Prince. His hands came to fold tightly about it, his nose now pressing into the soft feel of the clothing. "She ran this way." He thought to himself. To his surprise he could also view the footprint of what seemed to be a dog. Upon his investigation of the print, he came to see it was too large to be a simple mutt.

Giving a nod to Emerald, he began to disappear into the forest. It was not long before even his steps could no longer be heard, nightfall seemed to grant the forest power. Like all things of the underworld's creation, Quathor truly came alive as the moon came to rise. The baying of creatures, and the terrifying screams of those claimed in times of old could be heard for miles around the forest.

For several long moments, the dancing beauty waited, wanting to make sure that her Master had gone. She made her way down in the same fashion as Raxseis had, her footing mindful of the delicate flesh the dragon called wings. She could feel her heartbeat thumping harshly in her throat. Heat rushed over her body like a burning rain, her limbs and breath came to tremble. The whip came to fall from her hand and into the dirt below, her softened palm coming to glide along the neck of the enslaved mount. Her steps feel easy in a silent pattern, her body language revealing her fear and determination. She moved to the right eye of the dragon, kneeling before the power she knew laid dormant within it.

"Servion...we have to go." Her words came forth gentle, her wish not to command the beast as all others had. She respected him, and admired him for his strength. "We can both be free, we can run away together where no other will ever find us. This is our only chance, the Prince is gone, who knows if he will ever come out of that forest alive." The scaled lid of the wyvern came to slide open, his slit pupil coming to look over her miniscule frame. "They will kill us both foolish girl." He came to speak. To Emerald it came across as no more than a show of vicious teeth and snarls. The magic of the dragon had been suppressed so far down, that he could no longer communicate with other races. She stumbled backward sucking in a breath of fear. "Please..do not eat me."

The old bull came to squint at her, at last his head came to rise high above her and as it did it came to tilt in confusion. "Eat you? Why would I seek to do such a foolish thing? My Master adores you, not only that, your bones would be lodged in my teeth." Again, a series of growls and grumbles came to rush over Emerald. "Shh, hush now he will hear you." She urged, her hand moving to pat his foot. "I know, you are frightened, I am too. If we work together we can survive. You are a dragon, freedom could restore your power could it not? I do not wish to live out the rest of my days as a slave. You should wish to be free as well. It is better for us to be granted freedom for a while, than to die in the shackles of another."

Her eyes came to frantically scan the open area around them. There was nothing she could do to persuade the animal. Off in the distance she could see a large lake, she knew dragons to be loyal even in bondage. An idea came to her mind, she hoped it would be enough to get the old wyvern moving. "I would rather drown than return to those horrid walls. If you will not carry me to freedom, I will free myself in death." She began walking, not turning back to look at him. "Come on...follow me please." Her pace began to quicken, she did not run but she did her best to make it seem that she was serious. Servion watched her go, his head moving to rest back on his feet. "Foolish girl, what trouble will you have me endure?" He pondered. "Do not be so idiotic as to kill yourself, you have the favor of the Prince." His mind raced with several thoughts. He could let her drown, and take the lashings or he could save her and see her wet body handed over to his Master. He could not make a choice, perhaps she was right. Raxseis had foolishly left him alone for the first time since they had met.

He watched as the dainty female fell into the lake with a splash. He shook his head, his mind racing and debating upon his options. If they came to survive, he could return to the Kingdom and see it turned to dust. His power would one day return, and with it he could come to set free his brothers. The tales of Incendartu came to rush through his vison, along with his defiance and leadership. The little human was right, who were her kind to condemn and enslave his race. Why had they allowed it to happen? His heart came to fill with pride, it was then that he realized, perhaps this one was different. In all the races, he had come to cross paths with, she was the only one to show him compassion. Like him, she was enslaved, beaten, mistreated and underestimated.

The wyvern came to stand, his wings moving to slide to either side of his back. He took a step forward, the first step towards freedom and vengeance. Knowing he had grown too large to dive into the water, he allowed his head to rush into it. Its embrace was shockingly cold, and for several long moments he wondered how deep she had come to sink. Servion could feel her grasp take hold of his hair and only then did he allow his head to surface.

Emerald had only a few seconds to begin the long and slippery climb onto his neck, before they were airborne. Within a blink, the mighty creature had come to ascend at a vertical climb. The way up into the clouds made her want to scream, her stomach was in knots and she felt sick. Her bare feet came to dig as best they could into the leather crests of his neck. It took what little strength she had left to hoist herself up onto him fully. Through the clouds they went, his wingspan coming to form a draconic silhouette over the moon. At last they came to level out, and that is when she looked down. Within a moments breath, the pair had come to fly at a height of twenty thousand feet. She found herself taken aback by his power, and agility. They flew over Morgaideign, so far below them the grand old Kingdom seemed but an ant consumed by the vast open landscape.

"Thank you. I care not to where you carry me, just promise that we shall never return here." For the first time since she was old enough to comprehend, Emerald felt free. Her days as a slave to men were over. The sky consumed them both, and in that moment Emerald came to die, allowing Shenva to be born again. No longer would she hold the name forced upon her by her suppressors, from that day forward, she vowed to hold true to the name her mother had given her at birth.


	14. Chapter 14

Raxseis found himself lost within the vast and dark forest. He traveled with his sword in hand, his eyes and ears sensitive to every noise that came to be made around him. He had come to move a few miles inward before he came across the cottage that Adalaya and their aunt rested within. Taking a moment to look around, the Prince came to realize that the gown his sister had worn days ago, hung drying on a line. The man walked forward and into the gate, placing his sword back into its sheath. His eyes came to scan the grounds, it was silent the only sign someone was home, a small flickering candle in a window. Raxseis made his way towards the door, but to his surprise, he was halted by the rearing figure of the witch's Pegasus. The horse came to whiny and flap its wings, shooting dirt and debris into Raxseis' eyes. He covered his vision with his arm as he fell startled into the dirt, rolling out of the way as the hooves of the beast came to hit the ground.

Reia came rushing out into the night, her thin night robes revealing her still firm and youthful form. She reached up to pat her mount, her hands turning to fists as she pulled herself up onto her back. "Rea'vo artona muva Veishee pari'tum." "Calm yourself my beast." She spoke sternly. Her hands held tight onto the mane of the creature, its body coming to still, her head bobbing in resistance. Reia looked down onto the man her eyes coming to cut. "Who are you and how dare you step foot onto my property. My Pegasus could have killed you, you foolish boy! Get up!" Raxseis rose to his feet, pulling his sword from his hip. The metal sang into the night wind, its song sharp and long. HE saw it pointed at her firmly his own expressions turning sour. "How dare you address me in such ways?! I am your Prince! And shall one day be your King!"

The witch urged her mount forward, her palm coming to grasp the steel tightly. It cut into the soft flesh and soon after, turned to melting slag. Raxseis watched in awe as his sword was dissolved before his eyes. "Witch! Black magic!" He bellowed, slowly backing away from her. At last Reia dismounted, sending her horse away with a motion of her hand. Her now bloody fist came to tighten around the man's collar, her grip firm. "You dare step foot onto my land and point fingers at me?! You dare disturb my sleep with your foolish antics?! I should cut off your ear and see it dried and hung above my mantle." She pushed him away from her, ripping her skirt to wrap her now throbbing hand. "You should be grateful, I could have let you be trampled to death. Prince or not, you are imbecilic to not know when to give thank and when to keep your mouth shut."

Hearing the commotion outside, Adalaya came to rise gingerly from her bed. Grabbing a fur pelt, she saw it wrapped around her shoulders and made her way outside. To her surprise there stood her brother and her aunt, arguing. She could not understand how Reia had come to recognize her but not her brother. "Raxseis?" She murmured, her hands falling away from the furs. He had come to find her, only him, honestly she would have expected nothing less. He turned his anger away from the old woman and began to focus on the soft call of his beloved. Reia's eyes grew wide as she heard his name spoken, her curiosity of who the man was, now sated.

The Prince made his way over to his sister, his arms wrapping around her tightly. She could feel her feet lift from the ground as he spun her, and in an instant, she urged him to stop. He sat her down kissing her sweetly, unsure of why she did not seem happy to see him. "Adalaya, you do not seem pleased to lay your eyes on me, why is this? I have traveled these horrid woods to find you." Her chin tucked into her neck as she gazed onto the soft soil beneath her feet. She could not find the words to say, nor could she tell him the truth. It seemed that now that he stood before her, the Princess had come to fear rejection. Reia took it upon herself to interject. "She is happy to see you, but a mother always worries for her child's safety before her own happiness." Her words came forward dark and grim, she did not like her nephew so far, his first impression had been less than pleasing.

"Child?" He began to say his hand moving to lift Adalaya's eyes to his own. "You, are with child?" She nodded, a small smile coming to grace her face. "It is yours, and our aunt believes it to be a boy." Pride beamed in her eyes, her head moving to rest upon his chest. The Prince stood stunned, this was the woman his father would speak to him about as a young boy. Beyond that, his sister had come to carry his first born. He could feel fire burning inside his chest, his stomach had come to ball into knots, he felt sick. He stepped away from her shaking his head in disbelief. "You can not be pregnant, we can never have a child." Adalaya began to tear up, her small hands moving to her flat stomach. "We have no other choice, you planted your seed my brother, and now it has come to grow and bloom. You love me, which means you will love this child right? We are all each other has, with the exception of our aunt."

Raxseis turned his back from her, his arms moving to fold across his chest. "I will take you home, and I will find a healer or cutwife to deal with this issue before father finds out." With that, he moved and took hold of her arm pulling her harshly through the drying leaves. She struggled against him, his grip was painful. Never had he grabbed her in such a way. "I will not go home!" "You will!" He pulled her around to face him his hand moving to her throat. "That thing you carry in your belly is the product of shame and sin. If you were to carry it to term, it would surely die! I do not understand why you would allow yourself to even let this happen!" He began to pull her once more, this time she lost her balance and fell stomach first onto the forest floor. "Let me go! Let me go now! I will not kill our child! When did you become so cold to me?!" He drug her not giving a single glance behind him. At last, she managed to free herself from his grasp, the sweat and oil about her wrist causing it to slip from his hand. She stood up and gathered her breathing, her hand coming to hold her stomach as a wave of pain began to surge through her.

The Prince turned around and went to grab her again, but this time, she saw him slapped against the jaw. The heat of her hand stung his flesh, the strike both shocking and painful. "You would dare raise a hand to me? After all, I have done for you?!" "I would see your head from your shoulders if you ever threatened our child again! You wish to place blame upon me? You have visited my bed since I was only thirteen years old! You taught me that this life was all I would ever know! And now you stand here wishing me to suffer more than the broken heart I now hold within my breast! Every misfortune that has ever come to befall us both was started by your hand!" Raxseis looked her over, then turned to meet the judgmental and vengeful gaze of his aunt. "Adalaya, that baby could kill you. You would die in childbed just like our mother. It would kill you, and I will not lose you because of my mistakes as a boy."

"I will not go! I wish to stay here, with aunt Reia. I am happy here, I have learned so much, and she actually cares about me. She lets me live and has never judged me, unlike you, our brother and our father." "Father sent me to find you, I told him I would, I promised him." "Then I suggest you break your promise because I will not go back. I will not return to the chains of misfortune being a woman has condemned me into. Tell him what you must, I died, you could not find my body. Either way brother, you will return either with a story of my death or my corpse. I would rather slit my own throat this night than return to those halls."

He was frozen, he could not believe her words. She had always been just a younger sister, a little girl he loved and had to protect. But here she stood, a woman, his child growing inside her womb filling her with fire and purpose. A purpose he could have never taught her. "I will give you three days to come to your senses, after that I will return and take you home willing or screaming. You do not belong here and you never will. If you do not submit, I will see that this witches house is burned to ashes, I will kill her and her rabid winged beast." The Prince turned from her and faded into the darkness. Adalaya watched him leave, her heart coming to break in her chest. She turned to her aunt weeping in her embrace. "I thought he would be so happy." "Men often times see their admiration for us fade when met with the unknown of a child. Do not weep girl, we must move on."

Reia wiped her tears away and whistled for her horse. "We must pack only what we need, your brother gave us three days, which means he will be here in the morning. We must flee these lands and venture into Vermillion City. I have a plan, but, I will need your help." Adalaya nodded. "What can I do?" Reia moved them both into the house and began gathering various herbs, powder, and tonics. "There is to be a race in Vermillion City in about half a moon. I had planned to go there alone, but, that was before you feel into my care. It is rumored that there is a dragon to be won by the rider of the fastest horse entered. I have a stallion, but I have yet to tame him. Your mother may have not amounted to much, but no one could hold a candle to her riding skills. She had such a way with animals, horses especially. If my assumptions are correct, I think she may have passed the power on to you."

Adalaya went about gathering bowls and jug of water, her stomach, at last, coming to settle from her fall. "A Dragon...to be won? Which means it is someone's slave?" "Yes. It is why I wanted to win that race, I know my stallion could, he just, has no rider. I also hold in my possession a dragon, but he is no slave. The one to be won in Vermillion is female, I was hoping to breed them." The Princess came to ponder the words she heard, she had ridden horses plenty of times but, she never actually felt comfortable. "I will do my best I suppose, how far is Vermillion City?" "About a four-day ride from here. But I have other plans to get us there quicker. When we leave this land, we must never return. If we do, I am certain I will die and you may as well." Adalaya looked to the direction of where her castle stood. "I will return, and when I do, I will set free all those who have been enslaved. Woman or Beast, I will grant them freedom. I want payment for the debts I have been left with, and I will see them paid."

The witch came to nod, she agreed, in fact, she had come to think up a similar plan herself. Those detail she kept held within her mind. "Come child we must go." The pair saw the pegasus saddled and placed their needed items upon it. After they both had come to mount, the mythical took to the sky and was off, camouflaged by the darkness of night.


	15. Chapter 15

Both Reia and Adalaya had been traveling for two days, the journey had been filled with new wondrous sights and sounds. The young Princess had never traveled so far from her birthplace, deep down, she thanked her sins for such an opportunity. The pair had come to enter into the vast city of Trinos, a desert land that was home to the dragon Reia claimed as her own. Unlike most, her wyvern was allowed to roam free, allowing his size and magic to continue growing as he did. From the tales her aunt had come to tell her, Adalaya knew the beast to be over three thousand feet long, with a wingspan of nine thousand feet. She often came to wonder how a woman as small as her aunt, could command a creature of such size and strength. After a much-needed meal, the two women came to set foot before a large cave. Inside rested Akar'gamon, the dragon she had come to learn so much about. The cave opening was nearly a mile wide, what laid inside it, beyond the knowledge of the dragon, was unknown. Reia had yet to see him in almost a year, even she was left to guess what treasures and bones had come to collect with the cave.

"I will meet him today then?" Adalaya came to say, her body becoming ridden with goose flesh. She was uncertain if the dragon would take to her, or if he would favor her as his next meal. The young girl felt fear, not only for herself but that of her unborn child. She no longer had just her own well being to tend, but that of an innocent and helpless life, unknowing of the dangers of their world. "Yes, you shall. If he slumbers beyond our view that is." Reia dismounted, leaving the reigns of her Pegasus in the hands of her niece. She walked forward into the cave her voice coming forth in songful ribbons. "Akar'gamon, my trusted friend, are you with us?" The sound of stirring rock and dust came to fill her ears. Suddenly, the ground began to shift and rumble, he was there. "Akar'gamon, I have come to ask a great favor of you. I have found my niece, Adalaya. I wish to present her to you, we both seek to free your people from our races chains. Please, will you share words with me?"

The ground came to still, soon after allowing the dark and hissing voice of a serpent to come forth. "Why should I show my face to an outsider? She bears the blood of those who betrayed you, I can smell her festering lineage from here." Reia came to kneel within the dark chamber, her head bowed softly in respect. "I humbly ask that you remember all that we have done for each other. I beseech that you fall onto our bound and know that I would never enter your home with another who had the intent to bring you harm." The ground came to quake, and suddenly, the dragon's nostrils could be seen. He walked forward, at last revealing himself to his rider as well as her guest. His scales were a gleaming shade of malachite, his underbelly claiming the hues of sorrel. The left eye of the reptile beamed in the darkness in the brightest shades of gold while the right rested in his skull a soft shade of evergreen. Unlike most dragons in captivity, this male bull bore no mane of hair. Instead, his face and neck sat adorned with leather crests of brown that birthed horns of sharpened weaponry. Akar'gamon slithered forth, his weight resting upon his wings as he walked. He was large and held many different battle wounds of all shapes and sizes.

Reia stood and moved to him, placing a gentle touch upon his snout. His flews sat mangled with scars that would never mend. Warriors had haunted him for decades, leaving their marks on his body before they came to perish in his flames. A soft coo came to part his jaws at her touch, his eyes now coming to rest upon Adalaya. "So, what could a fragile little doll like you, do to aid my race?" The Princess followed the actions of her aunt, her body folding into a humble kneel before the dragon. "I wish to free your people, in hopes of gathering unity. I have grown tired of the ways human men degrade and use their women. My entire life I have been under the foot of the rule of men, the same men who enslave dragons. I believe together we can reset the balance, and for once, have the odds swing in our favor."

The bull came to move past his rider, his head dropping low to meet the girl eye to eye. "I admire your courage, but hope will never secure promise. It is something that can aid you in a fight, but that does not mean it will give you what your heart desires. You will suffer the pain of loss, you may even come to die in order to achieve your goal." Adalaya nodded. "I just, I want more for us both. I desire a life of freedom and justice if I have to die for it then so be it. Let Dovium come and claim what is rightfully his. I would rather die knowing my life made a difference in this world, that have it hold no meaning at all." Reia smiled, her pride coming to burst the seams of her heart. Her niece was bold she held no fear of her mount. Instead, she seemed comfortable around him.

The aerial serpent came to turn his attention back to the witch. "What do you need of me Reia?" "I need you to carry us to Vermillion City. There is a race there soon, I plan to let Adalaya ride Cartumon, in hope to win and set free a female they hold captive there. I hear she is quite beautiful, she could make an excellent mate for you in these lonely hills." Akar'gamon came to squint. "I suppose I could, it would not take me long to get you there. Though I must warn if you lose this race, I could be enslaved." "I hold faith in the girl, she holds the same way with horses as my sister once had. My stallion has the speed, he just has no handler. They will not lose."

The dragon came to lower himself to the ground, his chin flush with the soil below him. "Come, let us travel to the land of Mauraders." Reia urged Adalaya to mount him, to her surprise the girl had already begun to make her way up his head. Following her stride, the witch took a seat behind her niece, her hands turning to fists around his horns. The might of his wings came to lift them upward, the force behind each revolution of his wings caused the dirt below to stir and circle. "Aunt Reia, what of your horse?" "She will be fine, she may follow us, if not, she will be here waiting when we return." The trio moved at incredible speeds, the abilities of the wyvern unmatched by those held captive. Despite his size, he moved with a fluid and graceful gate, his wings shadowing the land as they flew past. Adalaya took a moment to admire her stomach. It still remained flat, but she knew she only had so much time before she began to show. Her wishes had to be granted before her child's birth, and she was certain she had the ability to turn her hope into reality.


	16. Chapter 16

Raxseis had come to travel by foot back to the wall of his soon to be claimed kingdom. He had found, that Emerald had stolen his dragon, or at the very least had been carried away by it. The young man had been cursing and kicking dirt the entire journey home. He could not begin to imagine why the gods had come to at last turn their backs upon him. He knew the truth, it was why he had tried so desperately to bring his sister home. It had taken him nearly a day to return to the gates of Morgeideign, his feet were blistered and sore. He came to stand before the gates, it's guards raising the gates. Raxseis made his way into the streets of the city, his eyes catching a glimpse of a traveling party. Their banners flew wildly in the wind behind their stride, the white fabric adorned with the image of a dragon consuming a serpent. Raxseis knew those banners, they were the flags of his late mother's home. His grandfather had long since passed from the world, meaning that it was his grandmother who had come to visit.

The group made way past him, stopping only when a jeweled hand came to make a signal from the window of a coach. It rolled to a stop before him, the door coming to swing open, revealing his grandmother Lady Estralia Dia'por of House Valro'clav. She was a beautiful woman despite her wisdom in years. Wrinkles littered her face, her waist-length locks secured in an aged gray bun atop her head. She was thin and frail in body but allowed her wit and unbroken spirit to replace her lack of solid figure. Beside her sat her son, Raxseis' Uncle Tarbion Dia'por. Much like his sister now gone from the world, Tarbion held hair as brown as the finest of leather, his eyes were a piercing blue sitting perfectly on the top of each side of his keen nose. He was a good-looking man, one with chiseled features and broad shoulders. He had been older than the heir's mother, nearly the same age as Raxseis had been when Adalaya was born.

The old woman looked at her grandson, her thin lips pulling into a stressed smile. "Raxseis, how much you have grown. So muscular and regal you now stand in comparison to your brother." The elder prince gave a chuckle, moving forward to embrace his grandmother. "Indeed, my brother does not inherit the powerful form that our grandfather passed onto me. Tell me, Great Mother, what brings you to Morgeideign?" The old woman looked at her son before returning her attention to the young man before her door. "Your father sent word that you sister has gone missing. He requested aid in his searches, speaking of your failure to return with any valuable news. He fears that young Adalaya may have died. I personally do not believe the claims, I received word from Trinos that she was spotted there. I have reason to believe that she and your Aunt Reia are headed for Vermillion City. There has been talking of dragon's going rogue and attacking their handlers, no matter the amount of time they have been under the suppression of a whip. Just two weeks past my very own mount Asaq'kar came to devour his trainer. He remains kind to me, but I have been advised to keep my distance. Honestly, from what I understand, I fear for her life more in the hands of the dragon she has come to claim than the city in which they travel too."

He could not believe what he was hearing. His heart came to bash its way atop his ribcage, suddenly he felt faint. Adalaya on dragon back? She had never been trained, never once scaled the massive sizes of the creatures, and now they were turning upon their race. He cursed himself for leaving her behind, and for a flicker of a moment, he even came to fear for his unborn child. "Do you travel there now, Great Mother? If so I would plead you take me with you on this journey. I was on my way to alert father that I had seen her alive and well but in the company of a blood witch. Would you mind waiting here until I speak with him?" At last his uncle came to find voice. " We have no time to spare boy, we have already told your father of our findings, he is currently indisposed. Your findings are none we have not already relayed to him. Come, you and I may converse in the coach further back in the procession."

The man stood, his weight coming to shift the little carriage as he made his way out of it. He was a tall man of six foot five, leaving him to have to bow in order to make his way out. His hand fell onto his nephew's shoulder, his grip urging him towards another means of transport. The pair came to take a seat, Tarbion made sure the locks were secure and pulled the curtains shut. The command of Her Majesty urged the travelers onward, and only then did Tarbion come to begin the conversation. " Do you know why your sister came to flee the city?" His question held both answers and curiosity. "I am not sure, at first we thought perhaps she had been kidnapped. When I found her, she seemed so pleased with her surroundings. In fact, she fought me physically and verbally to stay. It seems you know more than you are willing to present to me uncle."

The older man came to pull at the hairs of his chin in worry. "I went about, scouting the forest looking for any clues. I found only one as to why she may have left in such a hurry, and with the company of my eldest sister, a known blood witch. There was a decaying carcass of a hellhound in those woods. They only surface when there is a debt to be paid to one who was killed unjustly. I know this because one came for me once, shortly after your mother's death. So tell me, what debt did she owe to someone?" Raxseis began to squint, his mind racing through the times past. He knew better than to talk about him and his beloved sister's situations, to any other but his uncle, for he was the same as they. "I can think of only one man. In his death, the debt should have been shared between us both. We killed a man who attempted to come between us and threatened to reveal our secrets to not only our father but to the land. He had to die, I do not see why a hound would come to torment her for protecting herself and the man she loves."

"Reveal you? So it is true then? You have come to share improper intimacies with your sister?" "Half sister Uncle Tar. You and I both know that Adalaya belongs to you. Your lust and love for my mother are what planted the seed in my head at such a young age. I am no fool, I watched you and my mother join together on more than one occasion. Right under my father's nose and he never knew, nor shall he ever. Father was so stricken with love, it blinded him from knowing the truth of who he called wife. I am not sure how long you came to bed your sister as your mistress, but I do know that my own has been warming my bed since the age of thirteen. She now stands approaching her eighteenth name day, carrying my child within her womb." Tarbion moved closer to his nephew, his hand motioning to keep his voice down. "I never knew you were aware of what happened." "How could you not uncle? Even a boy of only nine years old knows when something has gone array. Mother died giving birth to Adalaya, why? She gave birth to Exsidious and me without so much as a fever to follow. The curse of incest ran through her veins. It is why I must see my child's life to an end before Dovium claims yet another from my life."

Lord Dia'por came to sigh. So much had happened, deep down he blamed himself for it all. "We must find her, and stop whatever it is she has planned. I am confident that it will not end well. Vermillion City is not a place for one as ignorant to life as my daughter." Raxseis gave a curt nod in agreement. "Aye, your sister seemed quite eager to protect her. Adalaya has gathered a fire inside her being unlike I have ever seen. She even had the courage to strike me. I do not trust your sister Uncle Tar, she is a worshiper of Dovium and will only bring ruin to whatever she has a hand in. I still do not understand why she was allowed to live after her slights against the crown."

"My sister is a very misunderstood woman, one who has always wanted to fight for the rights of women. Your mother was unique, all she wanted was love and a crown atop her head. A man to call husband for appearances and a place she could bed me in secret. Her entire life revolved around men and their desires. It is why I cherished her so much. When we do at last recover your sister, I beg that you break your lust for her. It will doom you both, whoever's spirit summoned that hound of Drathell will return, and this time, it will gather what it is sent to collect. If we are lucky, it will be sent alone like the first." Raxseis came to feel rage building in his breast, his uncle had come to insult him. "It is not lust I feel for her, but love, as you felt for my mother. How dare you demand such things of me when you could not pull yourself away from the grips of love?" "I do not demand anything, I humbly ask for your sake and that of my daughters. She is all I have left of your mother, and I choose to depart from this world before she does."

"Very well uncle, I do pray we reach her in time. If the heat of the Jazzerian desert does not claim her life, surely the Mauraders of Vermillion City will." The men fell into silence as the bumpy road carried them forward. Raxseis was lost in his mind, falling into a darkness he had never once come to greet. His worry for his sister had begun to bloom into a thorn like vine around his heart. Her absence left his soul to bleed and his body to decay with the realization that at last he would finally be left alone, with no other to call his own.


	17. Chapter 17

Reia and Adalaya had come to at last land outside the gates of Vermillion City. The heat of the sun began to blister the skin in a matter of moments if one did not have the proper attire. Adalaya found the desert to be revolting, in all the places they had come to visit during their travels, Vermillion had been her least favorite. It was the home of Mauraders, slave traders, and explorers. For over three hundred miles, Vermillion City was the only civilization with water in its possession. Making it the most powerful of all four free cities in the Sekian Isles. The inhabitants there were known as the Kar'shi'vek, a grouping of humans who once stood pale faced now stood with sun claimed skin that was as radiant as the sand. The women were beautiful but held large and curved noses and naturally wide eyes, which often sat adorned in charcoal. They were the property of men, the Kajarum, those who held the highest political standing within the city. Only the Kajaro stood above them in his way of rule.

The city itself was built around the largest oasis known to the Isles of Sek. Rocks of vermillion color had given the city its name and had also come to protect it for centuries. There was one way in and one way out, many had died in their attempts to be let inside the safety of Vermillion's walls. Those who had come to survive the relentless heat and monsters of the desert became model citizens of their new home. For Adalaya and Reia though, they were only visitors and female visitors at that. They could be stolen and enslaved right alongside their dragon. The two kept their heads down as they moved through the busy streets. The scent of herbs and spices hung heavy in the thick air, the voices of vendors and merchants clashing with the moaning voices of coitus going on about the streets. Despite knowing her niece's condition, Reia hurried her through the crowd and away the foolish antics of men and their wealth.

For three nights did the pair rest, gathering food and water for the coming days. In that time Adalaya, at last, came to meet the stunning stallion known as Cartumon. When her aunt had brought him forth, reins in hand, she nearly fainted. He was spirited and tall with thin and healthy limbs. He stood eighteen hands tall, with a velvet coat that's radiance reflected as bright as a golden coin. His mane and tail nearly dragged the ground as he cantered over to her. All four of his legs held brown stockings and white fetlocks. One thing Adalaya noticed most about the male was the fact his profile was concave, much more so than the horses she had come to know in Morgeideign. His breed was indigenous to the Sekain deserts and could travel for days at full speed without water or food. She came to admit that she was nervous to ride him.

The days passed like minutes as her training continued. Time and time again she had come to be thrown off the beast, only to be pressed back on by her aunt. The Princess had begun to worry about her child, the falls could have not been good for his development. After time had continued on, Adalaya and her new mount came to build a bond of trust together. Reia had been correct, the horse was fast, he traveled the sand like a beam of sunlight, one moment he was there and the next he was gone. Reia led them both to the starting line, men of different races and sizes sat proudly upon their horse, eager for the contest to begin. It was over five miles long, with evolving landscape and dangers unknown to the young Princess.

"Remember all I have taught you Adalaya. He responds to you well. Restrain him for most of the race. Keep close to the others, and do not let him loose until you reach the shallow sand beyond the scaling hills. He holds endurance, but his primary skill is his speed, remember this when approaching the finish line. Listen to his signals, and obey his movements. It is imperative that we win this race if you fail us, we many never leave this place." Reia put her niece's hands onto the horse's mane that had been braided in a lattice-like fashion. "Hold on tight to this, and remember to grip with your legs near the end." The witch looked over to other riders, the too rode bareback but held reins in hand. "You will do well, I can feel it now go!"

With a curt nod, Adalaya moved to line up with the others, she held her horse still her hand coming to pat his neck in reassurance. A man came to sound the horn, and with its tune, the race began. Cartumon surged forward, his hooves thundering upon the sand. His ten competitors followed closely behind his stride. Adalaya pulled back on his reins in an attempt to slow him, he whinnied in determination and carried on. They rounded the first bend, the ballad of hooves and sand shooting into the air all Adalaya could focus on. The heat was unbearable even beneath the protective head wrap she wore. Her vision was distorted, due to the net that hung over her face.

The herd moved as one, with Cartumon leading by two lengths. His golden fur moved like a beacon over the desert, his beauty a mirage to most. The sand was deep, Adalaya could feel it in his stride, he had begun to slow. The others were catching up to them. Looking over her right shoulder, the young rider saw that the horses tail had come to raise his ears had folded to either side of his head and now he was picking up speed. Two buckskin mares seemed to gather a second wind, their bodies coming to ride alongside that of Cartumon. Adalaya dug her bare heels into the horse's sides, to secure her placement atop him. Her arms had begun to burn from the repetitive motions of his muscular and craned neck. Fire ran through her flesh, both exhaustion and sun coming to torture her. She wanted so much to let go of the reins but remembered what was riding on the line of her victory.

She slowed his pace allowing the wise men to lead the way. They now held third place Cartumon fighting her urging. They all came to cross the Dead Oasis of Varqu, once filled with crystal waters the body of water was no more, It sat in the center of the desert a crater filled with cracked soil and peeling sand. She could feel sweat dripping down her neck and back, her head began to hurt, the heat was rising the further out they rode. Her stallion, however, showed no sign of heat exhaustion, he was in his prime and ever eager to run down his opponents. The pair followed the trail of golden sand, their vision now blinded as they ran. "Come on Cartumon! We must be near the sand dunes!" The horse continued his stride, knowing the hills better than his rider. The herd began to ascend up the large and steep mountain of sand, one by one they began to slow, the incline of the hill far too great to continue running.

"At least he will have time to rest." Adalaya thought. After several long moments, they came to reach the top, where a flag sat awaiting them. They had made it to the halfway point. The two buckskins began their descent down the hill their riders courageous. Adalaya pulled Cartumon to a rapid halt at the top of the hill. She looked down and could no see how they would survive the trip down. "No ...I cant.." The stallion reared at her pull on the reins his head thrashing as his personality came to flare. Without warning, he leaped down and began following the others. All the Princess could do was lean backward on him as he made his way down. The jolts of speed and bump like travel made her sick. "Oh, no...my son not now..." The two buckskin mares were long gone, they were nearly out of sight. "Oh, no..my fear has cost us everything!"

The rest of the group was closing in, it was then that Adalaya found her courage. She took a tighter hold on the reins and kicked her mounts sides. He leaped onto the flat ground and was off at full gallop. She could feel his determination, his pride, and strength. The sand had grown shallow, it was time. "Let him loose." She heard her aunt say and so she did, and with him, she too let go. Her hand came to rip the headwrap from her gaze, the hot air hit her face in a slice of bitter grains. The finish line was a straight shot ahead of them, all they had to do now was catch up. The cotton fabric of her headdress fell into the sand as they thundered onward. The sound of his hooves became more profound, without realizing it the sand had left them both. They now traveled upon hard dirt and stone.

She let go of the reins and leaned forward, her hands rushing toward the braided mane of the beast. Her nimble fingers gripped tightly onto the silk like hair. Cartumon let loose, his gate gathering speed. Adalaya could see the two mares just ahead. She could feel the rapid breathing of her aunt's stallion between her thighs, could hear his breath coming and going as fast as his legs carried them. From behind them came the speed of a white horse, his fur beaming like the most polished of ivory. He was behind them by one length but was gaining. The new pair came to catch up to the leaders of the race, the four within half a length of each other. The finish line was on the horizon now, it was time. Cartumon took to the outside of their formation his mouth beginning to foam at his bit.

From the sidelines, Reia watched on with pride. "Let him run Adalaya! Ride him! Push him!" The herd was just over a half mile out from the finish line. The burn in Adalaya's arms had grown nearly too much for her to bear. She gritted her teeth and gave the horse another kick. One hand reached behind her to give his hindquarters a slap. "Turn it, loose boy!" Blood began to trickle from his nostrils, his hooves only touching the ground for a mere second before they left it again. He pulled into the lead his nose passing that of the females. Reia watched as the contestants rode forward towards them. She moved to the front of the crowds as the race watcher blew the horn. She watched on as Cartumon gained his second wind, before long the golden stallion was twenty lengths in front of the herd and still he surged. Reia screamed happily, the race was theirs. Cartumon made his way to the finish line, his chest pounding in rhythm to his galloping. The horn came to sound a third and final time as Adalaya won her first horse race. She let him run out his determination before slowing him to a trot.

Reia was there to greet them. Her arms reached up to hug her niece before she kissed her stallion's nose. "You did it! You both did it! Come we must present you to the Kajaro. From him, you shall receive your prize." Adalaya dismounted, ripping the hem of her blouse to wipe the horse's nose as they walked. She led him to the water pits and tied him securely to a post. She followed her aunt into a large cave, inside rested the dragoness they had come to claim. She was weak but beautiful in her dull appearance. Her scales were a soft teal with an iridescent sheen that was slowly dwindling away. Her eyes sat within her skull a calming white. The dragon's neck. Legs and wings were tied down with only ropes. Adalaya came to wonder how long she had been held a captive. She could breathe fire and sever her binds, but perhaps she lived in fear.

The Kajaro, at last, showed his face. He was a handsome and muscular man. With thigh length hair that was as dark as the sins, Adalaya had come to commit. He looked so familiar, she knew him from somewhere. He wore the clothing of an outsider, leather pants, no shirt adorned his chest, instead a collection of bones did. His beard hung nearly to his navel, its girth secured into a ponytail like braid. He stood six foot nine and had the walk of a man who wished only one thing, power. The Princess stayed close to her aunt, her mind racing trying to place the face of the man. It hit her like a boulder set free from a mountain. He looked exactly like Jarown, just older. Gray hair came to accentuate the sides of his hairline, and wrinkles came to pull at the flesh about his eyes. His bare chest was oiled and painted with the crest of dragon's heads. One sitting upon each of her breasts. His nipples were pierced and sat connected with the collar of gold around his neck.

"He is going to recognize me.." She thought to herself. She kept her eyes low to the ground, hoping that she would be able to gather her dragon and run off into the wind. The gods did not answer her prayers. Instead, they turned a deaf ear to her wishes. The man moved and took hold of her chin, his green eyes scanned her features, and in an instant, he knew who she was. Princess Paraxious, how wonderful it is to see you. Congratulations on your victory." "Thank you." "As promised, the dragon resting behind us is now yours to command, yet, I have another gift for you." Adalaya came to arch a brow. "Oh? Whatever could it be? Surely it does not have more worth than that dragon."

He waved away his guards and pulled the girl closer to him. "I know you were to marry my brother, I apologize for what he did to you. I wish to make it right. Become my fifth wife and see the past forgotten and a bond between our people forged." She snatched away from him, insulted. "I would do no such thing, you have enough women to care for it would seem. I want my dragon and nothing more. What your brother did to me has been forgiven. I worry not about the joining of our races. In fact, I intend on changing the ways of the lands I was born from." "Then allow me to help you in those plans."

Reia watched on in silence not wishing to insult the male and cheat both herself and her niece out of what they were rightfully owed. "You are so beautiful, it is no wonder my younger brother could not wait to feel your touch. What he did was wrong, but I understand his reasoning, such things are our way of life." Adalaya had to admit he was gorgeous, it had been so long since she had felt the touch of a man. "I thank you for your generous compliments, but I am in quite a hurry. I would address you properly, but I do not know your name, only your title." The leader came to rub her shoulders. "My name is Jarein. You have a spirit that reminds me much of my mother. For that, I wish to extend to you my army and my love." He leaned down and kissed her, his lips surprisingly soft despite the harsh and drying climate.

He tasted sweet, his strong arms were comforting. Adalaya allowed herself to enjoy his embraces only to be torn from him. She was pulled so quickly she failed to realize who had come to block the man's affections. She fell rump first into the dirt,Reia rushing to her side. Her body felt weak, her stomach turning to knots as she came to focus on her brother Raxsies rolling around the dirt with the Kajaro. He seemed so much smaller to her now, in the company of a native warrior. The dragon behind them came to stir, its tail thrashing side to side in an attempt to break free from its bonds. Raxseis threw a punch onto the jaw of the man. His free hand gripping tightly to his throat. They rolled, this time Jarein was atop his attacker, his dagger coming to be pulled from his hip. It was then that Adalaya forced herself up from the dirt. Her arms swung around the man's torso. "Jarein! Leave him alone! He is my brother! Stop this both of you!" His large arm came to fling her into the dust as if a child's doll. The thud of the rock and sand made her cough. Her stomach began to cramp.

Reia looked around frantically as she took notice of her brother making his way through the crowd. "Adalaya we have to go! Now! Come!" Reia ran from the cave she pulled herself onto her stallion, cutting the reins in order to flee. She looked behind her but did not see her niece. She went on, riding as fast as she could urge Cartumon. She had to get to Akar'gamon.

Adalaya watched as the two men came to struggle, Raxseis managed to take hold of the dagger, his hand making a swift cut across the Kajaro's face. Blood sprang from the wound, and into his hand and he stumbled backward. "I will kill you! Guards!" The sound of rushing footsteps could be heard approaching. Fear took hold of Adalaya, she trembled and looked around for a weapon. Thereupon the throne of the ruler sat his scimitar, she took up arms and rushed over to the dragon, slicing it free of its ropes. She was nearly as large as Akar'gamon, with the exception of her shorter wingspan. Adalaya made her way up, but the beast did not move. "Take me away from this place! Free yourself!" Still, the winged serpent did not move. The guards had come to pile into the cave, some rushing to their leader to tend his wounds. Raxseis stood proudly, waiting for his chance to strike again when they charged. "Go Adalaya fly! Get out of here!" Their uncle made his way inside, sword drawn. His eyes locked onto Adalaya before returning to his nephew.

The two men stood back to back awaiting the combat they know would come to greet them. One man threw his spear at them, they dodged the attack, leaving the spears endpoint to dive into the scales of the dragon. It roared and at last stood up, her fire came to shoot forth in a stream of orange flame. Adalaya held tightly onto her horns, just as she had learned with Akar'gamon. The movement of the beast was new to her, her movements were far sharper than that of the male. "Run!" She screamed towards her family. They turned upon heel and made their way to the dragon. Adalaya reached her hand down before the female fully stood up. Raxseis was the first to take her hand and hoist himself up. He helped his uncle onto the back of the beast and leaned forward. "Let me fly her you have no talent for such things sister!"

Adalaya came to shake her head at her brother. "Then I suppose you no longer know who I am brother." Another wave of fire came to engulf the cave, the men of Vermillion trying their best to subdue the beast. The Princess leaned forward, her hands turning white as they fisted around the battle horns of the dragon. "Fly." She commanded. The female began to run upon her wings, her war cry thundering within the vast open space. Before long they came to greet the harsh sun and the stifling wind. They were airborne, Adalaya could see her aunt riding Akar'gamon, but there was someone else. There to the right of her aunt flew a radiant white dragon, his scales illuminate and blinding against the summer heat. Upon his back sat Emerald, his newly claimed rider. Raxseis took note of them as well, he did not know what shocked him more. The fact he had been stolen from by the simplicity of a slave or the fact that his little sister had come to command not only a dragon but what seemed to be a resistance.

He sat in silence only shooting his uncle a look as the three females came to ride together as one. Adalaya looked down, Cartumon was inside a crate, carried by her aunt's dragon. She was glad he had not been left behind. "To where do you travel girl? I remember you! You were the one always nipping at my brother's heels." Emerald came to chuckle her eyes moving to rest upon Raxseis. "A foolish mistake Your Grace! I seek only to join your movement! Your aunt has told me everything!" The Princess came to nod. "Let us travel somewhere safe then, and converse about our plans." The flock of dragons made their way east, towards the temples of Heeka Di Tobor. The monastery of eastern Evernia and the breeding grounds of the Wyvern Dragon.


End file.
